MLA Supports HST Ruling

Peter McIntyre Friday, 20 August 2010 11:39107.5 KISSFM

Vernon Monashee MLA Eric Foster says he's very pleased with a court decision over the anti HST petition. A BC Supreme Court judge has ruled the 700,000 name petition opposing the 12 percent blended tax is valid, a decision that's expected to send the issue back to the provincial legislature. A coalition of business groups challenged the validity of the petition, arguing the draft legislation attached to the petition wasn't valid, but Chief Justice Robert Bauman says Elections BC was correct when it approved the petition earlier this month.

Foster, who is a member of the ten member government standing committee that will decide the fate of the petition, supports the ruling. "I'm very pleased with the court decision. I would have been disappointed had it gone the other way. I would hate to see this whole initiative and all the people who worked so hard on it, squashed in court..It belongs in the legislature, or at this point in the legislative committee stage." Foster (pictured) says the committee will decide if the petition goes to the legislature for debate and a vote, or to a province wide non binding referendum. He says he hasn't made up his mind yet, about which way it should go. "Honestly I don't. Having read through the legislation, all it talks about is the options but it doesn't break down how they all work, so I'm waiting for the committee to meet and see what everybody has to say."

The petition was led by former premier Bill Vander Zalm, who is also challenging the constitutionality of the HST, although it's not clear when the court will rule on that case. Vander Zalm called it a "great day for the province", and he would like to see politicians have a free vote in the legislature on killing the 12 percent tax. NDP leader Carole James also wants a free vote in the legislature, saying a referendum would be expensive and would only delay the demise of the tax.

The standing committee members are Terry Lake MLA Kamloops North, Eric Foster MLA Vernon Monashee, Richard Lee MLA Burnaby North, Pat Pimm MLA Peace River North, John Slater MLA Boundary Similkameen, Dave Hayer MLA Surrey -Tynehead, Mike Farnworth MLA Port Coquitlam, Katrine Conroy MLA West Kootenay Boundary, Jenny Kwan MLA Vancouver Mt. Pleasant, Rob Fleming MLA Victoria Swan Lake.