She claims “the NDP were trying to politicize the issue… We won’t be playing those games,” said Clark. “This is about a major tax policy decision and not leaders of political parties.”

Well, welcome to the province of British Columbia, planet Earth, Ms. Premier. What could be more political than a major change in tax policy? What could be more useful to citizens trying to make up their mind on the referendum question than a good old-fashioned head-to-head debate between two central proponents on opposite sides of the question?

She is no longer hosting a radio talk show where she gets to pick the topics and cut-off troublesome guests. She owes it to the people of BC to leave her protective bubble and engage in the to and fro of democratic debate. What is she afraid of?

CTV had a great story about the report last night, which you can watch here. The Vancouver Sun ran an oped on the report in today’s paper, which you can find here.

There are two main conclusions in this excellent analysis by economists and researches Marc Lee, Iglika Ivanova and executive director Seth Klein. One: the main beneficiaries of Liberal tax cuts are the wealthiest 1 percent – people making an average of $800,000 a year. Two: the cuts have cost us at least $3.4 billion in lost revenue.

This is public funds that should have gone to meet pressing needs in healthcare, long-term care, education and affordable housing; public services that benefit working and middle class families. The top 1 percent can afford private services on their million dollar incomes. The rest of us depend on the efficiency and fairness of pooling our money through paying taxes to provide these services.

What does this have to do with tax fairness?  As pointed out in our Tax Facts section most people have seen no real increases in thirty years – or even fallen behind as the economy continued to grow. Lower wages and benefits for new employees extends this wealth shift to new generations of working families.

Reductions in employment income or tax shifts like the HST all have the same purpose. The same as reduced public services forced by tax cuts. It is about increasing inequality and re-creating an almost feudal division between a tiny wealthy elite and the rest of us. It is an economic war against working and middle class families.

In the Lord of the Rings’ Twin Towers Aragorn points out to the hesitant King Theoden that “Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not.” Like the peaceful people of Rohan we did not seek or welcome this battle – will we fight back or be consumed?

The “wages of sin is death” according to Romans 6:23 but not apparently according to Stephen Harper. For the sins of attacking public sector workers (recently ruled illegal by the Supreme Court) gutting regulations to protect the public and the environment, and massive tax giveaways to the wealthy Campbell is made High Commissioner to the  London champagne and caviar circuit. (Can you say DUI?)

Then there is the 9th commandment - Thou shall not bear false witness. Modern update: thou shall not tell people the HST is “not on the radar” and then  deceitfully impose it weeks after a thus stolen election. Let’s hope there is justice in heaven, it seems to be lacking at the moment here on earth.

Don’t know if real-life police detectives talk like that but it sure makes sense to me. It must be costing millions for the professional video production and large number of prime time TV spots. We will never know exactly who is funding this PR campaign and how mcuh it cost.  Christy Clark made sure third-party spending limits and disclosure rules do not apply to the HST referendum as they do for regular elections.

You can be sure many of the dubious cast of characters listed as Smart Tax Alliance members have ponied up big-time to shill for the HST. They will probably be able to write-off their contributions as business expenses anyway. According to the rules this is perfectly reasonable – after all they are simply investing - spending a little money now to make a lot more later.

So like your favourite sleuth, just follow the money. Who is running the con? Who is “the mark”? Who stands to benefit? Who winds up the loser?

Now they try to frighten people with the prospect of more cuts to public services if the HST goes down to defeat. Their hypocrisy gives new meaning to the term “crocodile tears”.

The real solution is simple. With or without the HST we need to restore tax fairness in BC and ensure our governments collect the revenue required for the public and community services we need.

This does not explain why BC continues to hold the shameful record for having the worst levels of poverty in the country – both for children and people of all ages. That is the result of deliberate government policy including the freezing of the minimum wage.

It will take awhile before we see how far the increases in the minimum wage go to improving the relative position of BC in the poverty rankings. First Call’s press release points out more will be needed including more affordable, high quality child care, more social housing, improved coverage for dental care and prescription drugs and easier access to post-secondary education.

We fully agree, but would also add a system of fair taxation that not only shares the load fairly but provides the revenue needed to end the scourge of poverty in our province.

Many people are still angry at the way the Liberals basically stole the last election by lying about their tax plan. Some resent the way Premier Clark is using public money for her campaign to save the HST.

But many comment on the way the HST is designed to shift costs from corporations to consumers. They understand that while we all benefit from public services, business owners benefit twice. As citizens they receive  public healthcare, use public roads, picnic in public parks – just like the rest of us.

At the same time their businesses profit from the skilled workforce coming from our public education system. Their companies use public power, public water and public infrastructure. It is only right that they pay a fair share for this double benefit.

But a lot more need to speak up. The federal and provincial governments – and opposition parties - need to hear an ongoing uproar over this appalling multi-billion dollar loss of public revenue.

Please share the link to the petition with your friends. More importantly, please post it in newsletters, blogs, forums. Better yet, if you can add a Stop Corporate Tax Cuts button or banner to your website or blog, please contact us: office@taxfairness.ca.

Unlike big ticket items like healthcare and education we don’t all use this service at some point in our lives - in fact we hope we never need it. But a well-funtioning legal system is central to a civilized society.

Whether you or a loved one are victims of a crime – or you find yourself on the wrong end of the law – you expect a fair and timely process of justice. In fact, the Supreme Court of Canada has found that undue delays are a violation of our fundamental rights.

Governments that cut back these essential services and people who oppose fair and adequate taxes to pay for them are not just putting forward a different viewpoint. They are violating your rights.