-The pensioners of BC and others on fixed incomes

-Sports shoes Soccer boots with cleats etc. for children are not exempt.

-That the funding that these charities (mentioned above)pay to put on events will and are being seriously impacted simply because they are no longer receiving the funds they used to and small businesses (the largest employers in BC) mine included are already seeing the impact of this tax by way of a reduction of orders, sales and income.

-The transfer of the control of BC taxes to the federal government.

-The loss of that control ultimately means we are at the mercy of the feds whenever they decide to increase the tax.

-The HST does not generate any more income for the government (yet) it merely transfers 1.9 billion dollars from the companies to the backs of the people. “In theory” this saving is supposed to trickle down” to the people. However, in practice and based on history this savings will be passed on to shareholders and to finance new projects and products that are built/produced offshore in China, Haiti, Guatemala, India or whatever third world country has the lowest labour costs this year. This at the expense of Canadian jobs which is where you used to get your income in order to have the privilege of paying TAX.

-The admission by the Ontario premier that household budgets WILL increase because of the HST.

-That the Restaurant and the Tourism industry are already expecting a 1.2 million loss as a result and that there will be many layoffs in those and other industries. In 2003 a US tourist in BC would have received $1.39Cad for his US dollar that means for every $1000 of spending money he received an extra purchasing power of $390 now his dollar is at PAR and everything cost’s more so basically for every dollar in spending money he has now he actually loses money on any transaction he makes.

-The maritime provinces now share one of the largest underground economies in Canada and you would not consider those provinces to be booming by any stretch of the imagination.

-That many companies took advantage of the implementation of the tax to raise their prices on 01 July the cost of the Vancouver Sun newspaper being one example, there are many more examples of this “trickle up” effect.

-That UK have increased their VAT to 20% as we are expected to bailout more banks and multi-national corporations these tax hikes will become the norm an example is the Canwest Global which is under the protection of the court and most likely we will be expected to help bail them out of their self imposed financial mess. http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100108/bc_canwest_court_100108/20100108/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

-Canadians are paying around 70% of their income directly or indirectly in taxes in one form or another. Taxes come in many forms and with varied names such as licenses, permits, inflation etc. all of which are taxes.

What then is paying ones “Fair Share”? when you consider a pensioner on fixed income who diligently saved for his/her retirement versus corporations and CEOs that are paying only a fraction of their income in tax, and who transfer assets to offshore trusts.

I could go on but I do not wish to write a book!

NOW is the time for change! Get off your butt BC and take control of your run-away government, don’t leave the job to your children!