As outlined in columnist Paul Willcock's most recent article in the Townsman/Bulletin, "Court turfs business HST challenge" (August 24th) , B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Bauman dismissed the legal challenge to derail the grassroots movement against the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

Yet while Chief Justice Bauman rejected the business argument that the HST "was imposed by the federal government", both the Conservative government and the Liberal Opposition share a great deal of responsibility for inflicting this new tax on British Columbia.

What has gone largely unreported in this entire HST debate is that both the Conservative and Liberal Parties whipped (forced) their MP's to vote in favour of the BC HST implementation legislation, Bill C-62. The vote took place on December 9th, 2009 just days before Parliament recessed for the Christmas break. The Conservative vote was 139 to 0, the Liberal vote was 68 to 0. Not one Conservative or Liberal MP from B.C. had the courage to defy their Party whips and vote against the federal HST legislation.

Early in the New Year, instead of reconvening Parliament, in a highly undemocratic move, Stephen Harper prorogued (suspended) Parliament to avoid questions surrounding Afghan prisoner abuse AND any controversy that may have erupted about the HST tax here in vote rich British Columbia.

So the question remains, do you remember asking your local Conservative MP to vote in favour of a new tax that shifted $1.9 billion from large corporations on to individuals, families and small businesses?

Brent Bush

Kimberley