To the Expositor:
Here we go again. I recall our newly elected prime minister some years ago advocating an elected senate. Not only is he now appointing senators who were defeated when they ran for election to the commons, but he is now defying the will of the people who voted these appointees out of office. For what purpose did we spend over $300 million on an election, only to have it ignored?
Several years ago when our government cancelled the old manufacturer sales tax and brought in the GST, we were told removing the manufacturers sales tax would bring down the cost of goods; it did not, and everything went up by the eight percent GST. We are now being told if the government removes the HST on gas and home heating oil, the oil companies would simply add the tax reduction to their profits.
There have always been hidden taxes on the price of gas and oil, but why must we be taxed again by the HST? The HST taxes the cost of the product plus the taxes already in place. What we now have is a tax on a tax. Some years ago I asked a member of parliament how could the government justify a tax on a tax? His answer to me was, “there is no law against taxing a tax.” In other words the government uses negative thinking to allow them to do as they wish as long as they do not pass a law banning their actions. What ever happened to the positive will of the people?
It’s time the federal and provincial governments did something positive for a change and remove the HST on energy, and by the way, kick those bag men and leeches out of the senate and democratically elect a reasonable number of senators for a reasonable term in office.
An irate
Bill Lawrence
Providence Bay
