Editor, The News:
This July, we will have been subject to the disgusting HST for a year. Why disgusting, you ask? Because it was born of deception. Because when asked about it prior to the election, we were told ‘it’s not on our radar’. It was then brought into law just days after the election. Bureaucracy doesn’t work that fast, so there was deception. Because it puts the burden of a $2-billion dollar tax on the backs of the ordinary British Columbians and taking it off the wealthy corporations in the hope that it will generate jobs. One of the lowest things on a corporation’s priority list is finding jobs for unemployed. Its priority is profit. Corporations welcome the HST, as we will see by the business donations and ads prior to the referendum. Small businesses suffer because of the HST. Seniors and people on fixed incomes find it hard going. Family budgets have to change. But this provincial government doesn’t care about them. Businesses come first. The Maple- Mission local MLA will not debate the issue of HST because it’s “too political,” just now and that is after he said he would debate the issue. But I guess he got orders from above saying ‘do not touch.’ Well, the chance to make the decision – yes or no – for the extinguishment of the HST is coming in the mail. I know I will be voting yes to get rid of one of the most unfair taxes ever.
Stan Hutchison
Maple Ridge