Finance Minister Colin Hansen insists that it’s not about misleading the public
Mar 3, 2010 Guest Posts
Adam Stirling Comment – CFAX 1070 Radio Victoria, Mar 3, 2010
I respectfully disagree…
Minister Hansen announced a new government bid yesterday to try to link the wildly unpopular HST to BC’s health care system
Minister Hansen pledged that every dollar raised from the harmonized sales tax will go towards BC’s cash strapped health care system.
What the minister is reluctant to admit is that every penny that goes into health care from the HST will just be clawed back from some other revenue source. To be clear it will make absolutely no difference. For example if an extra million dollars goes into BC’s health budget by way of the HST, that million will be clawed back from other sources of revenue, such as income tax.
It’s easy to see why the government is doing this however: they are scared. They are scared that the 85 percent of British Columbians that polls tell us are against the tax will rise up and defeat it in the upcoming counter petition and possible referendum.
I asked Minister Hansen on my show yesterday if his government has contingency plans in place should this petition actually succeed and force a referendum which nullifies the HST.
Tags: 1070 radio, bc economy, bc government, British Columbia, british columbians, contingency plans, hansen, harmonized sales tax, health budget, health care system, HST, human shields, income tax, million dollars, petition, public policy, referendum, revenue source, stirling, straight answer




