The commentary from Black Press regarding PST and HST in your May 18 issue states that the HST exercise was beneficial in that it showed that B.C. citizens have power.
While I agree with that, I believe that the process of voting out the HST also uncovered a major flaw in our democratic system; people vote on emotionally charged issues without considering the full impact or the bigger picture.
We wield the power to overturn government decisions; that power comes with considerable responsibility.
I do not believe that a single one of us had all the information about the repercussions and full impact to business owners, the province and to the economy in general, to be able to make an informed decision.
Anais Nin said, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
The vote to get rid of the harmonized sales tax appears to have been made emotionally, based on individual experience and resentment about how it was introduced, not because the overall merits — or lack thereof — were considered or analysed.
That to me is a sad state of affairs and an abuse of our power.
Kristin Nickells
Parksville
