To the editor:
The No HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) initiative was successful.
The legislative committee recommended the successful result of the Initiative, go to a province-wide referendum, and the date of the referendum was set for September 2011.
Various individuals seeking to gain leadership of the NDP and B.C. Liberal parties have indicated they prefer the referendum be held earlier than September 2011. This has resulted in many individuals asking, why have an MLA Recall when the referendum is looming and we will get a chance to get rid of the HST at the referendum.
There are two types of referendums that are law in British Columbia.
The Referendum Act: referendums under the act require a simple majority and are binding on government.
The Recall and Initiative Act: referendums under this act require that 50 per cent of registered voters (and 50 per cent in two-thirds of the ridings) for the referendum to pass. This result is not binding on government.
The Recall and Initiative Act was legislated by the former Social Credit government. Then the NDP were elected into government and they developed the requirements of the act.
These requirements, at the time, were nearly impossible to meet. Now, with the power of the Internet, although still extremely difficult, success is attainable.
We should all be aware the forthcoming referendum for [to quash the] HST, falls under the Recall and Initiative Act and is not binding upon the government. This why we are progressing with the various recall’s in order to pressure the government to rescind the HST.
These recalls are not attempts to rerun the election; they are an action to assist in getting rid of the HST tax.
Let us not forget [Gordon] Campbell while in Opposition wanted the criteria for recall reduced. He proposed that if a collection of votes equalled the amount that the MLA achieved at the election, plus one, that the recall should be declared successful.
Jack Hackett
Horse Lake
