Gordon Campbell's resignation doesn't mean the battle against the harmonized sales tax is over.
The fight against the HST will continue, vowed Eric Allen, one of the local organizers of this summer's petition campaign that has led to a referendum on the proposal next September.
"We can't back off of this thing now," Allen said Thursday. "If anything, we have to pick it up a bit."
Allen said he'll keep a close eye on recall campaigns in the Lower Mainland meant to force the government to scrap the tax before a referendum is held.
Three are scheduled to start in January although there is one group itching to get going Nov. 15 when they first legally can under the Elections B.C. rules.
"If they're successful and the government still doesn't move, then we'll start one here," Allen said.
As he announced during a rally in late September, Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Pat Bell would be the first target with the campaign likely to begin in early April.
Forty per cent of the riding's registered voters, or roughly 13,000 people, would have to sign the petition to force Bell to vacate his seat and go through a by-election to regain the position.
"We're not going to back away from this," Allen said. "They're trying to change the game plan and make it look like they're doing something but the thing is, if we don't get moving on this, we'll have paid this tax for two years."
The HST took effect on July 1 and the referendum is slated for Sept. 24, 2011.
Allen said he was a little surprised by Campbell's announcement but if the HST had been rescinded and had the Liberals admitted their mistake, he would not have had to step down.
"(They could have said) we basically blew this one but at least we've got the message and now we're back on track, I think they would have stood a chance," Allen said.
If it's not dumped by the time a new leader is in place, Allen hopes Campbell's replacement will simply scrap the HST but at the least honour Campbell's commitment to let a simple majority of those who cast ballots decide the outcome of the referendum.
"They always try to muddy the waters and say people were mad at the process and how it was brought in," Allen said. "That's not really true. People are mad at the tax itself."
B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association president Ian Tostenson said the new leader must adhere to Campbell's promise to dump the HST if it fails in the referendum.
That said, Tostenson said the HST is "not a bad thing, long term, for the economy" and probably would've been more easily accepted if the economy was stronger.
If the HST is approved, Tostenson said Campbell's replacement should still "work creatively" to help consumes and affected sectors, like restaurants, through the transition.
