Despite considerable opposition the Ontario Provincial Government in their ulitmate wisdom tabled their proposal for the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) comprised of PST (8%) and GST (5%) resulting in the new HST (13%). This sparked my short rant on the proposed HST. The new HST will see an additional 8% tax on goods and services that previously were exempt from PST.
In the past week we have seen more opposition to the HST and yet the Ontario Provincial Government is determined to get the HST through legislation. What is rather funny at one point Stephen Harper said that public hearings are the cornerstone of democracy yet the government has refused to allow any public hearings with respect to the HST. The opposition party held a sit in to protest the HST and recently First Nations took to the streets of downtown Toronto in protest. They were joined by others protesting as well. Currently First Nations members are entitled to a point of sale tax rebate because they do not pay provincial sales tax. The HST will eliminate this rebate in direct violation of their treaty rights.
Get involved! Write and call your MPP and editors of newspapers. Sign petitions and join any demonstrations if at all possible. Start your own demonstration. Spread the word about any protests and demonstrations. Use as many forms of social media (eg. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace) to spread the word. Protest in as many ways as possible. The more voices heard the greater the chance of stopping the HST. Remember this tax is legalized robbery kicking people when they are already down!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2009
No one believes that Ontario will emerge from this recession the same as it went in. We need to become more competitive.
ReplyDeleteA report by TD Bank estimates the HST will reduce cost of doing business in Ontario by roughly $5.3 billion and that the majority of these savings will be passed on to customers within the first year. In fact, the majority of items you purchase - 80 percent – will see no tax change at all.
A recent report by economist Jack Mintz confirms that Ontario needs to reform its tax system to create jobs and put Ontario back on its feet. It says, as a result of the HST, within 10 years Ontario would see:
o An estimated 591,000 additional new jobs
o Increased capital investment of $47 billion
o Increased overall annual worker incomes of up to 8.8 per cent, or $29.4billion
We have a choice: we can refuse to fix what’s broken, resign ourselves to the idea that Ontario will be less competitive or we can move forward and get the jobs Ontario needs.
Please visit: http://sites.google.com/site/thetruthaboutthehst/
This is priceless! Apparently the only way for the public to get their voice heard with respect to the HST is to blog about it because the Liberals sure don't want to hold any public hearings do they. Now I wonder why they don't want public hearings even though Stephen Harper himself has said public hearings are the cornerstone of democracy. Why the sneaky assed tactics of pushing this controversial bill through so fast? Why no public hearings? Why? The reason why is because this is nothing but a dirty, underhanded and greedy tax grab that hits people when they are already down. Too many are barely able to survive as it is and the Liberal solution is to tax them more. Merry Flipping Christmas to the Liberals! The people of Ontario will remember this when they go to the polls.
ReplyDeleteHere's a few facts back at you.
1. Ontario's unemployment rate is at 9.3% or 2.1% higher than Jan 9, 2009.
2. Ontario and Canada in general has the worst in the world for internet infrastructure and access yet we pay through the nose for service. The solution is to pay 8% more for cuddy service?
3. People in Ontario are facing a large increase in electricity prices with the new TOU going into effect by June 2010. So it's not bad enough the cost of electricity is increasing so we might as well pay an additional 8%?
4. Those enjoying television for their only entertainment because they can't afford to go out will have to pay as much as $10 per month extra if the tv tax goes through. And we will pay an additional 8% on that as well?
5. Unemployed people in Ontario do not have 10 years to wait in the hopes that new jobs will be created.
6. The only ones happy about annual worker incomes increasing are those who are actually working and they are going to need it with the additional 8% tax.
7. Already too few Ontarians can afford home heating something we rather need. Somehow coming up with an extra 8% in tax is going to be a hardship for many especially for those on limited incomes or unemployed.
8. Those in rural areas have no choice but to drive yet the Liberals think it's a grand idea to tax the cost of gasoline more. And those in the cities using public transportation are not going to fare any better as the tax applies to that as well.
I personally would like to see an election called. I'll bet Harper would get a much clearing indication of how the people of Ontario feel about the HST!