The B.C. Liberal government is taking another stab at providing information to the public on the Harmonized Sale Tax (HST).
An independent panel has been formed to provide more information to prepare voters for the HST referendum in September.
The panel will review and analyze the fact base and then report directly to the public on the pros and cons of each option in front of British Columbians.
A ministry spokesperson confirmed the panel was selected by Finance Minster Colin Hanson in consultation with John Les, parliamentary secretary for HST information, from a list of people recommended by the B.C. Liberal government’s HST office.
She added the $20,000 budget will cover the remuneration to the panel members, and confirmed the ministry (taxpayers) will foot the bill.
Cariboo-Chilcotin recall campaign organizer and former anti-HST campaigner Eric Freeston said he is opposed to taxpayers financing a “B.C. Liberal spin panel.”
He added the handpicked panel members clearly back the tax, and pointed out that the chair, University of Calgary chancellor Jim Dinning has strong connections to the corporate sector that benefits the most from the HST.
“The government has implemented the largest tax shift in the history of [B.C.] without a mandate to do so, and they’re not addressing that. All they’re doing is constantly trying to cram their opinion down our throats.”
Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett disagrees about the degree of validity of the panel.
“I think it’s best if it’s done by people outside of government to put the pros and cons together of the HST in a manner that the public can understand.”
However, Barnett said she expects the results will report the taxation method with a positive view because those who really understand the HST know that it would boost B.C.’s economy by making it more competitive in the global marketplace.
South Cariboo Chamber of Commerce manager Christine Jordaan said she thinks an independent panel is a good idea, given that the HST issue is such a hot-button topic in the province.
“It is essential that people are made aware of both sides of the argument, without political interpretation added in. I would hope that this independent panel would take the politics out of the issue and present a balanced analysis.”
However, Freeston is convinced no further analysis is warranted.
“It doesn’t matter any more if the tax is good for the B.C. economy or not; the fact of the matter is the government has already lost the argument with the public.”