[quote=“BTravenn”]
[quote=“CharlesMHays”] You know I don’t have a problem with the idea of the HST, taxes are taxes, its how they spend them that annoys me much …
That being said, I’m puzzled as to why Ms. Clark has decided to duck out of a debate with the NDP leader …
A debate even on the radio, on the merits of the HST surely would at least give her a chance to offer up some public comments that aren’t filtered through a dozen or so press hacks?[/quote]
Having listened to much hyperbole, I’ve also concluded that I don’t have a problem with the HST. I won’t be voting for a return to the PST/GST dual tax, higher total regime.
With HST, as with PST before it, the government is free to exempt particular items, eg junk food, smokes, haircuts etc, from the provincial portion of the tax in the same manner as groceries, gas, books etc are exempted at the till. Concerns should be focused on the exemptions not the tax that the exemptions are deducted from.
Low income people, many of whom are elderly, get higher rebates under HST than they did when there was just a GST rebate. I don’t see a commitment on the NDP’s web site to maintain those benefits. Instead, in their latest, rather bizarre media offering they complain about HST being charged on “pop, chips and pizza”, an injustice that they will presumably end some day.
The NDP does not seem to have much in the way of details to contribute to a debate. Their commentary is rather trite (and I voted for them last election and may well in future if they get their act together). It’s even weaker than Carole James’ simplistic “axe the tax” war cry of election battles largely forgotten.
As for a debate between Christy and the leader of the NDP, um what’s his name, oh yes Mr Dix, he seems to need Christy to get his message across a lot more than Christy needs Mr Dix. That is how I read his clarion call. His voice otherwise barely registers on this issue, but perhaps that’s because he really doesn’t have that much to say.[/quote]
Yes, you probably have figured out the Dix approach, gaining a bit of name recognition for someone with little of same in the province at the moment. Still, the Premier seems to have drifted a bit from her days of re entry into politics, after turning off the CKNW microphone.
Rather than engage the people with debate and discussion, of late we’ve received not much more than photo ops usually in a Canucks sweater until that of course became the poor fashion choice of the spring and summer.
I’m not one of those that see her as some kind of devil waiting to lead the province to ruin, preferring to actually wait until both leaders and their parties outline their piece of ground at election time.
But I’d feel better about her “leadership” role, if she would occasionally step out of that bubble that they’ve put around her and wade into debate issues from time to time. Best way to make your opponent look like someone locked into his/her party’s rigid ideology is to discuss an issue and make your case.
In the case of the HST debate, I think if the Libs actually explain the positives and the negatives of the tax and then make their case for keeping it, then the population probably will understand it better.
I’m still baffled as to how anyone might find the advice of Bill Vander Zalm of any legitimate value, he having long ago used up his quota of good will in the province, the folks that are travelling with him on this Anti HST crusade must occasionally wonder if they’re on the right side of the debate don’t you think?