Fight HST Lead Organizer, Chris Delaney, says the petition to repeal the HST has crossed the Elections BC 10% threshold in 83 of 85 ridings with over six weeks still to go in the campaign.
Delaney says the Fight HST internal threshold of 15% or more has been reached in 57 of 85 ridings.
“These numbers are particularly exciting, since they represent only 64 of 85 ridings reporting,” he said in a statement. “Many areas of the province that had reached their targets took a break for the long weekend. We’ll finish up the remaining two ridings next weekend, and will meet both the Elections BC requirement of 10% as well as our own internal threshold of 15% in all ridings by the first or second week of June.”
Delaney said the petition to repeal the HST has reached a critical mass.
“There is nothing more to wait for,” he said. “There is no need for a referendum, no need for more delays and wasting of taxpayers’ time and money. The petition has become a referendum. And the result of that referendum is clear. British Columbians do not want the HST.”
Fight HST leader Bill Vander Zalm is calling on Premier Campbell to cancel the HST now.
“What is he waiting for? The numbers are overwhelming. He is our servant, not our master, and even his Number One argument that the HST is good for the economy has been refuted by the prime minister himself, who last week at a G8 Youth Forum said ‘You can’t tax an economy into prosperity.’
“Cancel the HST now Mr. Campbell. The people of BC are waiting for you to act on their behalf. Failure to do so will result in you becoming the first premier in Canadian history to be fired by the people in a recall,” said Vander Zalm.
Vander Zalm says that recall campaigns can begin 18 months after a provincial election. That means the first recalls in BC can be launched in November 2010.
Vander Zalm says the timing is perfect, since the anti-HST petition will be submitted on July 5, after which Elections BC will have 42 days to check the petition. Once the petition is validated, the Legislature will reconvene in September to vote on the bill to repeal the HST.
Vander Zalm says if the BC government votes it down or tries to play games by delaying it or by going to a costly and time-wasting referendum, then his organization will immediately begin recalls in selected ridings.
“The people have drawn a line in the sand with their government, and the government seems to have drawn a line in the sand with the people. There can only be one winner in that contest if democracy is to survive in BC,” Vander Zalm said.
