B.C.'s anti-tax showdown hits a fever pitch

B.C.’s anti-tax showdown hits a fever pitch

By MoneySense Staff on May 26, 2010
Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Anti-HST activists close to forcing a reconsideration of the controversial tax.

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British Columbia’s anti-HST activists are very close to forcing the provincial government to reconsider the new tax. After months of petitioning, they’ve collected the required 10% of voter signatures in 84 of the province’s 85 ridings, and hope to be done by the end of the month. The goal is to repeal the HST and keep the 7% PST. Premier Gordon Campbell says that the anti-tax crusaders — led by former Social Credit premier and current gardening supply mogul Bill Vander Zalm — are leading a “misinformation campaign” and that the HST will create jobs and bring billions of dollars into the provincial economy. It’s expected that even if the petition reaches its target, any bill tabled to repeal the tax will be defeated in the Liberal-majority legislature.