December 01, 2009

Tories ready to pass HST bill

Rodney Venis
Prince George Citizen

The federal Conservatives may put opposition leader Michael Ignatieff in the HST seat today by introducing legislation that clears the way for Ontario, B.C. and other provinces to implement the controversial tax.

Should the Tory strategy pan out, Ignatieff faces a choice between supporting the controversial policy or crossing the premiers of Ontario and B.C., both of whom plan to implement the HST next year.

Late last week Ignatieff was given some cover when the Bloc Quebecois signalled it would support the government motion, which will give the provinces a federal OK to proceed with the HST. But that doesn’t mean federal Liberal support isn’t key, said Prince George-Peace River MP Jay Hill.

“(There are) only ten sitting days to go before the House is due to rise for the winter recess on Dec. 11,” said Hill, who is also the Tory’s house leader. “In that short a period, we barely have time. We need their support.”

He added the Liberal majority in the Senate would also have to OK the laws.

The vote will not be a confidence matter — meaning the government will not fall if it fails to pass.

However, Hill said it will not be a free vote — despite grumblings over the tax from within the Tory caucus, including from Cariboo-Prince George Dick Harris.

Hill said part of the reason for the rush was Ontario planned to introduce its HST legislation on January — and that if the law wasn’t passed, the Tories would abandon the policy for the foreseeable future.

“If we don’t get it through before the House rises, then harmonization will not go ahead,” said Hill. “We’re finished with it, we won’t bring it back before the next election.”

The legislation will also be a framework bill, said Hill, meaning, should the remaining provinces opt for the HST, a Commons vote would not be needed for them to proceed.

NDP MP Nathan Cullen, whose party is voting against the bill, said he suspected Ignatieff would back the tax — despite the Liberal leader dubbing it “the Harper Sales Tax.”

“It looks like he’s going to have to add a hyphen and call it the Ignatieff-Harper Sales Tax,” said Cullen.