OTTAWA – With less than a month to go before the HST is set to kick in, the federal New Democrats are launching an all-out effort to convince the Harper government to respect the fight-HST petition process and stop the new tax before it starts.
“British Columbians are making history with the first ever successful petition initiative, but the Harper government is ramming through the HST as if nothing is happening,” say New Democrat Deputy Leader, Libby Davies (Vancouver-East).
“It is my hope that people across the province will contact their Conservative and Liberal MPs and insists that their parties reverse their support for the HST and take a stand to stop it now,” said BC Southern Interior MP, Alex Atamanenko.
Atamanenko said it will be more difficult and expensive to undo the HST after it fully kicks in July 1st. “How can Stephen Harper and Gordon Campbell proceed with this tax when they know full well that the people of BC are determined to overturn it?” questioned the NDP MP.
Davies noted that every Conservative and Liberal MP from BC voted in December to impose the tax on British Columbia.
“Now that British Columbians have clearly expressed their views through the petition initiative, it’s time for the Conservative and Liberal MPs to listen to their constituents and take a stand against the tax,” said Davies.
“I would like to thank former Premier Bill Vander Zalm and all those volunteers from all political parties, who have been working hard to stop the implementation of this unwanted tax,” concluded Atamanenko.