I've noted some advertisements in our local paper lately. Sponsored by the Government of British Columbia, they suggest that the choice offered in the HST referendum is between a 12 per cent PST/GST and a 10 per cent HST. I hope we are all aware that those numbers don't tell the whole story.
The promised reduction to 10 per cent would not take effect until July 2014 - that's three years from now. The current HST rate is set at 12 per cent. The HST also includes numerous services that were formerly taxed at only five per cent under the PST/GST system. For these services, the proposed tax rate is actually double what it would be under the PST/GST system.
Bell Canada recently received a $10-million finger wag for imposing fees hidden in the fine print of their ads. The ad promoting the HST has no fine print at all.
(Kevin Falcon's defense that the details are on the government website is ludicrous.)
The B.C. government would do well to take note.
And the B.C. public would do well to ask what other information might be missing from ads promoting the HST. Let's all make an informed choice on the HST referendum.
David Frank
Prince George
