On Jan. 26, I read with skepticism about the BC Liberal appointment of a four-person, "independent" panel to provide an analysis of keeping the Harmonized Sales Tax, versus returning to the former tax system.
For Liberal-appointed analysts to produce a report on such a pivotal, political issue as the HST is akin to the RCMP initiating their own, in house investigations of alleged police misconduct.
Obviously, the analysts and investigators are not unbiased, at-arms-length individuals. For instance, consider the following about the four panelists that I managed to glean from the Internet:
Jim Dinning, former Conservative Alberta finance minister, is now on the board of directors of a variety of companies, including federally owned Export Development Canada, which provides financing and risk management services to Canadian exporters and investors.
George Morfitt, former BC Auditor General, is a former president of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA).
Tracy Redies, Coast Capital Savings CEO, is a director of the Vancouver Board of Trade and C.D. Howe Institute.
John Richards, Simon Fraser University professor, is an economist and policy analyst affiliated with the C.D. Howe Institute and, at one time, worked with former Liberal MLA Gordon Gibson on a seminar series in 2002 to inform the public on Aboriginal issues prior to an upcoming provincial referendum on treaty negotiations.
To put the above in perspective, respectively:
The Conservative Federal Government coughed up $1.6 billion for the Liberals to switch to the HST, a tax now under Federal control, and which is a huge benefit to exporters.
The pro-HST ICBA has funded an advertising campaign to stop the recall process.
The Vancouver Board of Trade and C.D. Howe Institute are on record as HST supporters.
An analyst who has experience prepping the public for a referendum? A logical choice? Or
politic?
The panelists have a small 10-week window in which to produce something that the public can swallow. Does this mean there's a possibility of an earlier than later referendum?
In any event, one can't help being skeptical in view of the Liberal's past performance and their newest ploy with hiring the so called "independent" foursome, who will, no doubt, produce a report that seemingly will be both impressive and incontrovertible.
And, for that reason, one must listen and read with scrutiny, keeping in mind that old adage: there are lies, damned lies, and statistics.
Joanne Schilling
Prince George
