The HST Hoedown: take your seats, folks, this is one interesting ride. Sparks are flying, heads are rolling, and our lives are a’changing. To quote Michael Smyth of The Province, “everyone has a dog in this fight.”

A packed courtroom celebrated with former premier and tax revolt leader Bill Vander Zalm on August 20^th when Chief Justice of the BC Supreme Court Robert Bauman ruled that the anti-HST petition with over 700,000 signatures is valid and can proceed. Bauman dismissed the big business coalition that tried to stop the petition from moving forward. The chief judge even celebrated the grassroots initiative, quoting Campbell, who described the tax revolt as “a victory for democracy.”*

*Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Anti+petition+ruled+legal+Supreme+Court/3423142/story.html#ixzz0yCSuoCLA

The volume of these signatures represents a public outcry. Was your signature one of them? Mine was.

For all intents and purposes, this appears to be a resurgence of grassroots democracy. It is now in the hands of the BC Legislature to hold a free vote. The HST stands a chance of being blocked and replaced with the old style PST or some as yet undreamed way of raising more taxed income.

From my observation, the push to stop the HST is a knee jerk reaction by a BC Electorate outraged against a number of broken promises by Premier Gordon Campbell. When Gordon Campbell campaigned against the HST during the 2009 election and then changed his mind shortly after it, this was yet another broken promise. The petition was the conduit that BC voters needed to say enough is enough.

In my opinion, it is The Zalm’s steely determination and his acute understanding of the constitution that helped this battle stay on course with his rights as a citizen. The ruling represents a small victory of the people.

With an understanding of the constitution, one can go far in empowering a determined BC Electorate. Sure beats standing around in a group with a placard trying to get attention.

This drama will continue in court, and with our politicians, this is shaping up to be an interesting Fall. Stay tuned.

Laurie Kingdon, graphic designer
Outside-the-Box Graphics

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