Press Release: Fight HST petition breaks 15% threshold in all 85 Ridings
Jun 14, 2010 Press Release
Posted by
admin 2,302 views so far
More than 40% of British Columbians who voted in 2009 election have signed
Vander Zalm calls on Premier kill tax now
Port Coquitlam – Fight HST Lead Organizer, Chris Delaney, says the petition to repeal the HST has broken the group’s internal threshold of 15% in all 85 ridings across BC this past weekend.
Delaney says breaking the internal threshold of 15% in all ridings is even more significant than the minimum threshold of 10% set by Elections BC, because it ensures the margin of victory.
“This means that one of every three signatures would have to be discarded in any one of our ridings for the petition to fail. Our canvassers have been extremely diligent, and with a solid buffer of 35% or more signatures than what is required in each of our ridings, the petition is certain to succeed,” Delaney explained.
Delaney pointed out that the overall number of signatures has reached 653,240, meaning that more than 40% of voters who voted in the last election have signed the petition.
“These are amazing numbers, and prove unequivocally that British Columbians of every persuasion reject the HST,” said Delaney.
In the wake of the resignation of former Energy Minister Blair Lekstrom, Fight HST Leader, Bill Vander Zalm, reiterated his call to Premier Campbell to kill the HST now.
“It is time for Premier Campbell to wake up and smell the coffee and get rid of this tax. There is nothing more to wait for,” said Vander Zalm. “Stop fighting your own people and cancel the HST now.”
“Cancelling the HST now would not only save British Columbia consumers and businesses from the HST, but it might even save his government.”
Vander Zalm says the HST is set to take effect on July 1.
“Cancelling it prior to that date would save everyone from having to change their lives to accommodate the tax, only to have to change it all around again when the tax is repealed in the fall. It will be a waste of time and money for everyone to have this go forward, and then later cancel it. The time is now,” Vander Zalm concluded.
Tags: amazing numbers, blair, British Columbia, british columbians, canvassers, chris delaney, coffee, consumers, elections, energy minister, july 1, last election, margin of victory, minimum threshold, persuasion, petition, resignation, signatures, time and money, waste of time
There is a sense of dissatisfaction in the land As well as in other countries such as England and the Netherlands.People want their elected representatives to represent the voters who put them in office,not the party line.Time for the Dogwood party for right leaning socialists and left leaning conservatives.That is where most of us are. In the middle of the road,where all the accidents happen.
Jan de Zeeuw.
Thank you to all Canvassers, Captains, Bill, Chris and everyone else. And thank you to everyone who signed. This is fantastic to see.
If the B.C. government needs this money so badly after their “millionaire’s party” (Olympics) then start taxing the millionaires properly and leave the average people alone after all they are the ones with the money not the majority of working people. Big Business needs to be taxed properly not the average worker/citizen that is having great difficulty being taxed mercilessly and lied to at every opportunity ie. by Provincial and Federal level ie. HST and Feds INCOME TRUSTS! We are tired of carrying them on our backs of our labour. Time for accountability not just lip service either.
So where is the pressure on Steven Harper and the Conservatives? Our job is only half done. You know he has initiated the whole HST. This is his way to controlling all revenues in the Country.
Great news. This is an excellent example of democracy in action.
Just look at the financial well being of nations around the world. There are ninteen nations facing sovereign debt default.
The US president is asking the US senate for $50 billion dollars to financially support state public services workers.
The US is bankrupt. Due to the fact that they control US fiat currency they can extend and pretend for a little while longer.
Our Canadaian credit card balances (Actual) are $65 billion Canadian dollars. Our Canadian residential mortgage debt (Actual) is $965 billion dollars. Our personal lines of credit (Actual) are $205 billion dollars. Our Canadian household credit (Actual) is $1 trillion 414 billion dollars. Source: americacanada.blogspot.com/
With these numbers staring us in the face why is it that our government leaders cannot see what is about to happen to us financially?
The HST is the last thing we need. The present government states in the media that this HST will bring more business to B.C. If we want to bring more business (if there is any business left to bring) to B.C. eliminate the PST. You see, most of our value added jobs have been shipped overseas.
Please keep up the great work maintaining democracy.
The MLA for Peace River North is Liberal Pat Pimm. The HST petition has been signed by twice as many Peace River North voters as elected Mr. Pimm in 2009. Surely he should resign.
Thankyou everyone in B.C. for your efforts for democracy in action. I feel very proud and honored to be part of this campaign. Please Bill and Chris, continue on, we need you to get through this fight. We will continue until it is finished! God Bless you all, Maxine
I was living in Halifax when they first brought in the harmonized tax, and to pretend it will be revenue neutral or even be positive is a blatant lie. Our cost of living went up dramatically.
Even before the tax is due to start July 1st, companies are already raising their prices ie Shaw Cable and Serious Coffee.
We haven’t even had the carbon tax kick in yet – and on that score, UK pays about double for their gas over Canada, and that hasn’t stopped people or even reduced consumption.
I do really hope Campbell and some of his cohorts face recall – it will send a strong message to all parties we’ve had enough!
This is great news! Thankyou to Bill Vanderzalm & Chris Delaney for putting this all together. Obviously BC voters have had enough of this Dictator in Victoria and all his shenanigans! We the people can and will kill the HST here in BC and we will oust Campbell and Hansen from office along with any of their lacky MLA’s who did not have the guts to step down like Lekstrom! The people of BC have spoken Gordo clean your ears out and listen up cause you’re finished!
Awesome Job Guys,
as they say, “you rock!”
Malcom
Mr. Vander Zalm and his team keep on thanking us for our efforts. The thanks are to them. Their efforts, deligence positive attitudes and dedication have led us to this, I don’t believe any one else in this Province is as well equipped and as well versed as Mr. Vander Zalm to get this work done. The residents of BC, owe a great deal to Mr. Vander Zalm, however chances are his reward will be with the outcome and in heaven!!
Thanks a million
It never ceases to amaze.
Gordo has evolved into a meglomaniac, cocooned in a martini stupor.
Basi, Virk and Basi or is it, Virk Basi and Virk? Can’t keep track anymore….meanwhile, B.C. Rails on forever.
Harper comes along with handbasket and Gordo jumps.
Aaah, Politicians, we vote for them notwithstanding the ever prevalent Hypocrisy. They are a damnation and a scourge upo the Land. Who stands on guard for thee???? Illegitimi non carborundum!
This is all about ego. It is sooo sad I could almost cry.
How is this helping build a better future for BC? How does this help us met the real challenges of the real world?
I look at the legacy of Shazam! Debts for my generation to pay…thanks for screwing me and my kids. Let’s stop this type of inter generational warfare.
My heartfelt congratulations to Bill, Chris, Cheryl and others who got this history making initiative off the ground. AS well as the thousands of volunteers plus hundreds of thousands of voters who continue signing the petition to make it hugely successful.
In a real democracy where elected officials actually represent their constituents, the government would have respected the will of the people, cancelled the HST and moved on. Here in BC however where most, if not all of us have family members who have put their lives on the line so as we could live in a free and democratic country, we are ruled by an elected dictator where so far all but 1 MLA has turned their backs on the very people who elected them. The fight for real and meaningful democracy in BC is far from over. The announcement that Campbell and Hansen intend to spend the summer traveling the province promoting the HST is nothing short of an absolute insult to each and every one of us and will be met with protests wherever they go.
The root cause of this entire situation we’re now in is the system of government which demands blind loyalty to a leader and punishes anyone who dares to speak out against his or her dictates. The system is the problem and is in desparate need of a major overhaul.
Yaletown Says:
June 15th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
This is all about ego. It is sooo sad I could almost cry.
How is this helping build a better future for BC? How does this help us met the real challenges of the real world?
I look at the legacy of Shazam! Debts for my generation to pay…thanks for screwing me and my kids. Let’s stop this type of inter generational warfare.
What has Gordon Campbell done about public debt in this province? When Vanderzalm was in office we had a balanced budget for all but one year, and that was after Rita Johnston took over the helm.
Since the B.C Liberals took office the provincial debt has continued to grow approaching 60 billion dollars. Boondoggle after boondoggle has gone on, the Olympics, Convention Center, B.C Ferries, and lets not forget about B.C Rail Meanwhile the Howe street boys got a tax holiday and lots of inside deals on crown land and government contracts. If that’s preparing for the future for B.C then I want no part of it.
O.K. Gordo the time for smoke and mirrors is long past. It has been reported that the anti H.S.T.petition has now gathered more signatures than your dictatorship got in the last election. Can you see the sun going down or are your eyes closed as well as your ears.
I was a card carrying Liberal since the Honourable Ray Perrault past member of the senate and now deceased was the leader of the liberals in B.C.
However I have sent in my resignation and you can bet your last buck this old guy will NEVER support the party again. What B.C. needs desperately is a new populace party where the candidates know the meaning of ethics-truth and honesty. Keep going Bill Vanderzalm you have my full and enthusiastic support