REALITY CHECK: Iain Black Must Answer For B.C. Liberals’ HST Deception

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After telling British Columbians they had no plans to impose a Harmonized Sales Tax, the B.C. Liberal government turned around after the election and announced a new sales tax that will cost consumers billions of dollars.

Now, as Iain Black comes to Burnaby Tuesday morning in an attempt to do damage control over the B.C. Liberals’ HST, community members continue to feel they have been left to foot the bill for the government’s lies.

Consider these facts:

  • The HST will shift almost $2 billion in taxes from corporations onto hard-working British Columbians and small businesses.
  • The HST will drive up the cost for everything from restaurant meals, school supplies, safety equipment, facility rentals and equipment for sports teams, to theatre tickets, dinners out, books, dietary supplements, new homes, phone bills and funerals.
  • A report from the TD Bank found that over 21 per cent of the goods and services that British Columbians buy will be hit with a seven-per-cent increase in sales tax.
  • The B.C. Liberals’ decision to impose this new tax comes at the worst possible time as families and businesses in Burnaby are struggling to emerge from the economic downturn.
  • The HST will be a big blow to many of the industries which are central to diversifying the economy in Burnaby, particularly tourism, the arts, and the restaurant industry.
  • Schools in British Columbia, already hurt from government cuts to facility grants and school sports, will be on the hook for $24 million more in annual operating costs and $14.7 million more in annual facility capital costs due to the HST.
  • Small businesses will lose thousands of dollars a year when the commission they receive for collecting sales tax on behalf of the provincial government is cancelled under the B.C. Liberals’ HST.
  • Under the B.C. Liberals’ HST, tax exemptions for dozens of environmentally friendly products will be eliminated, including for fuel-efficient vehicles, electric scooters, biodiesel, insulation on pipes and hot water tanks, and investments in clean home energy technology. Some of these, like the credit for bicycles, have existed for decades.

Carole James and the New Democrats have been holding the B.C. Liberals accountable for breaking their word on the HST, and for backtracking on their election promises to protect health care, education, and other vital services.

To sign the petition, go to www.StopTheHST.ca.