Re: HST a benefit to families, Letters, July 13, 2011.
The letter writer makes a feeble attempt at apologizing for the way the HST was introduced and in the end concluded that the end justified the means.
She also refers to a 10 per cent HST. The HST is 12 per cent and a political “promise” was made to lower it to 10 per cent in July 2014.
Considering politicians track record for keeping political promises, I don’t believe for a nanosecond that if the HST survives it’ll ever be 10 per cent.
Most of us have family members who have put their lives on the line so as the rest of us can live in a free and democratic country. Democracy is more than just marking an X on a ballot once every four years.
It’s about politicians respecting the people they were elected to serve. When government decides to make radical changes to our tax system democracy demands that politicians take the time to explain to the people what it is they want to do and how British Columbians will benefit from these changes.
It’s about being flexible and being prepared to make compromises in order to get as many people on side as possible. It’s also about being prepared to rethink such radical changes to the tax system if the people are clearly opposed to what government is proposing.
When politicians circumvent the democratic process the end must not be allowed to justify the means.
By voting “yes” to extinguish the HST we’ll be sending a message to present and future politicians of the absolute necessity of preserving and protecting democracy.
We must never allow politicians to lose sight of the fact that they are our servants not our masters.
Joe Boulter
Langford
