One of premier-designate Christy Clark's first challenges -- besides building bridges in the Liberal caucus and finding a seat -- is to roll out the vote on the harmonized sales tax.
Clark, like the other Liberal candidates, has promised to move up the date of a referendum to June from September. She has suggested June 24 as a date.
"The pressure is going to be on them again," said Eric Allen, an HST-petition organizer in the Prince George area, who recently joined the B.C. First Party.
The fledgling party is led by Chris Delaney, one of the provincial organizers of the anti-HST campaign.
The public has not forgotten the tax, said Allen, despite B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell's resignation in the wake of implementing the tax.
"If they want to have any chance of re-election they have to get rid of the HST," said Allen, who is confident the new tax will be rejected in a vote.
More than 700,000 people signed a petition calling for referendum on the tax, with B.C. Elections validating 550,000 of those signatures.
Unlike her three opponents, Clark also promised to provide equal funding to both sides during the HST referendum period.
Political scientist Norman Ruff, a professor emeritus at the University of Victoria, said the very reason for the leadership race helps explain Clark's narrow victory: She was perceived as an outsider.
When Campbell announced last Nov. 3 he was stepping down half way through his third term, he acknowledged he had become a lightning rod for public anger, saying the only way for the province to move ahead was for him to leave.
Clark was part of the Liberal government between 2001 and 2005, but left, later taking up a position as a radio talk-show host.
Clark and the Liberal candidates -- who included Kevin Falcon, George Abbott and Mike de Jong -- support the HST as good for the economy.
However, the Liberals have said they introduced the new tax poorly.
The new tax, which combines the seven per cent provincial sales and five per cent GST, came into effect on July 1.
The change means consumers are paying the provincial seven per cent portion of the HST on some new items including meals, domestic airline tickets, funerals, haircuts and new homes over $525,000.
There are some exemptions on the provincial portion of the tax including gasoline, children's clothing and diapers. As well, items that are currently GST exempt, such as basic groceries, are not be subject to the HST.
