To the editor:
In Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett's response to the B.C. Federation of Labour's efforts to ensure British Columbians have the real facts on the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), she repeats her government's manufactured and absolutely false "facts."
Unlike Ms. Barnett, the B.C. Federation of Labour sourced its numbers directly from B.C. budget documents and from statements made by Premier Christy Clark and Finance Minister Kevin Falcon.
At 10 per cent HST, individuals will be responsible for $1.3 billion in new taxes. That's an average increase of nearly $1,000 per family. That's because hundreds of expensive items that had no Provincial Sales Tax (PST) now have HST. Items include home repairs, safety equipment, and some medical services.
Only in the B.C. Liberals' world of funny math does that equate to a family being better off.
The B.C. Federation of Labour stands up for average income families every day. That's why we exist.
We are encouraging a "yes" vote to scrap the HST because we know the HST is bad for average families.
Can we say the same thing about this B.C. Liberal government?
Summer McFadyen
B.C. Federation of Labour
