According to a Vancouver Sun post by Vaughn Palmer, there are government documents available (bottom of the article) that clearly discuss the contemplation of implementing the Harmonized Sales Tax before May 2009. The government (specifically Premier Gordon Campbell and Finance Minister Colin Hansen) have repeatedly been on the record in saying (roughly) that it was only considered after the May 12, 2009 election.
Although I had my own very high level of skepticism at these assertions, recent documents clearly show that they were (in what is a very generous way of characterizing the situation) exaggerating the truth.
Specifically:
A document from a January 16, 2009 First Ministers’ meeting with a summary analysis of harmonization;
A document with a February 23 and March 9 date with a document called “Harm Feb 23 2009.doc” and “Harmonization BN.doc” (unfortunately as far as I know these documents are not available);
A document – Briefing on March 12, 2009 to Colin Hansen about the merits of Harmonization. Unfortunately, a lot of the juicy matter is likely behind the Section 13/16 redactions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
A document showing that the Finance Minister likely received advice sometime in March regarding Ontario’s decision to harmonize, and a progress of documents showing the likely preparation of media statements and strategy (that would be a Section 13 FOIP redaction).
My guess, looking at all of these documents and reading between the tea leaves (of which there are no “smoking guns”, but there is something deeply, deeply smoldering with the scent of freshly fired gunpowder) makes me suspect that the finance minister gave the go-ahead to staff to pursue harmonization with the federal government sometime around February-March of 2009, and then gave the final approval shortly after the May 12, 2009 election.
The impact of these documents should lower what is already a low public perception of trust from the government; this should also be the absolute last of the “it was only contemplated after the election” line that was being given at the onset of the HST announcement.
Letter of support to Jordan Bateman
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Langley Township councilman Jordan Bateman made some headlines (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) recently with his comments regarding BC Finance Minister Colin Hansen. Bateman subsequently redacted the comments, and put up an apology instead.
The media is going nuts about the matter, but I am simply writing to express my support for Jordan, who is much better in office than outside. Not only is he a good writer, but from what I can see he is a quality individual.
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