- Ignatieff and the Liberal may want to consider an equitable and compassionate approach to the HST.

submitted to: History traps Ignatieff on HST issue, Chantal Hébert, 30 Nov.'09
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/hst/article/732432--history-traps-ignatieff-on-hst-issue#article

If the HST were to apply only to the extent that the current value added taxes in BC and Ontario apply and thus not represent an increase in taxes to those living in these Provinces; and, instead of bribing the Ontario government and BC governments with our hard earned tax dollars, increased rebates were put in place at the Federal and/or Provincial level (that way Ontario and BC Governments can take credit) for those whose economic hardship is impacted by the payment of HST.

Then, perhaps these Provinces can reap any benefit to business while at the same time mitigating the hardship both to those living in these Provinces as well as Canadian.

The problem with the HST is the manner in which the Harper government is implementing it. It will increase valued added taxes paid by those living in Ontario and BC by approximately 1.5 points, because the number of goods and services taxed will increase. This is being done in the middle of a recessions and despite Harper, Flaherty insisting they are not and will not increase taxes. Harper and Fleherty have agreed to bribe the BC and Ontario governments with almost 6 billion of our tax dollars and one can only wonder if that is not the real motivator behind Gordon Campbell's recent statement about "taking it to the bank".

Lloyd MacIlquham cicblog.com/comments.html