Everyone in Canada knows the news by now. Embattled Premier Gordon Campbell has resigned as British Columbia’s leader. And the former-Premier himself admitted that the harmonized sales tax, HST, played a large role in his decision.
“After considerable soul searching and discussion with my family I have decided to ask the BC Liberal Party executive to hold a leadership convention at the earliest possible date to select a new leader for our party,” said Campbell.
““That [long-term interest] is what the decision on the HST was all about. I hope that my announcement today will allow British Columbians to move forward and fully consider the HST and the alternative on their merits between now and September 2011.”
As the Liberal Party looks to move forward and make arrangements to pick Campbell’s successor, they would be wise to acknowledge what the Premier finally understood—British Columbians, and Canadians as a whole, reject more taxes and vehemently oppose the HST.
The Premier, trying to pacify the masses and ease the HST burden, did impose a 15 per cent reduction in personal income tax rates, for the first $72,000 of personal income for all British Columbians, last week. The measure is the second-largest personal income tax relief measure in B.C. history, ensuring B.C. individuals pay the lowest provincial income tax in Canada, on incomes up to $130,000.
How does the Premier reconcile a mass tax relief measure with the wildly unpopular HST? He stepped down. Clearly, he had become a walking contraction. Less than three months after the HST went into effect, the Premier stated in a press release:
“Our government has always felt that the best thing we can do to support British Columbia’s families and our economy is to leave more money in people’s paycheques so they can make the decisions about what is best for themselves and their families,” said Premier Campbell. “This new tax relief will inject $568 million into our economy and create new opportunities for families and individuals across British Columbia.”
If that was true, the HST would’ve never been implemented in the first place.
Source: Office of the Premier
“After considerable soul searching and discussion with my family I have decided to ask the BC Liberal Party executive to hold a leadership convention at the earliest possible date to select a new leader for our party,” said Campbell.
““That [long-term interest] is what the decision on the HST was all about. I hope that my announcement today will allow British Columbians to move forward and fully consider the HST and the alternative on their merits between now and September 2011.”
As the Liberal Party looks to move forward and make arrangements to pick Campbell’s successor, they would be wise to acknowledge what the Premier finally understood—British Columbians, and Canadians as a whole, reject more taxes and vehemently oppose the HST.
The Premier, trying to pacify the masses and ease the HST burden, did impose a 15 per cent reduction in personal income tax rates, for the first $72,000 of personal income for all British Columbians, last week. The measure is the second-largest personal income tax relief measure in B.C. history, ensuring B.C. individuals pay the lowest provincial income tax in Canada, on incomes up to $130,000.
How does the Premier reconcile a mass tax relief measure with the wildly unpopular HST? He stepped down. Clearly, he had become a walking contraction. Less than three months after the HST went into effect, the Premier stated in a press release:
“Our government has always felt that the best thing we can do to support British Columbia’s families and our economy is to leave more money in people’s paycheques so they can make the decisions about what is best for themselves and their families,” said Premier Campbell. “This new tax relief will inject $568 million into our economy and create new opportunities for families and individuals across British Columbia.”
If that was true, the HST would’ve never been implemented in the first place.
Source: Office of the Premier
