People
have lots reasons to be upset about the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). For
starters, it means the price of many goods and services will be 7 per
cent higher. Of course, the government assures us this will only be at
first. They claim businesses will pass cost savings along to consumers
because they will no longer pay the provincial sales tax (PST) on their
business inputs. Many citizens are skeptical about whether businesses
will lower prices. However, what citizens should really be skeptical
about is whether the prices for services the government provides will
go down. So far it seems it will be government, not business,
ripping-off consumers.
One example is the PST on liquor in
restaurants, which will fall from 10 to 7 per cent. Will this mean a
price reduction to hard-pressed consumers? No, the government will
increase the wholesale mark-up on alcohol to keep its revenue the same.
So tipplers will see no savings when the HST arrives -- no
harmonization-induced price reduction here, folks.
Taxpayers were
also supposed to say goodbye to the 7 per cent parking sales tax that
goes to TransLink, the Lower Mainland's public transit Leviathan. The
government said that tax would be repealed with the implementation of
the HST, and "options for TransLink related to the removal of the
parking tax are being reviewed."
That not only led the naïve
observer, but TransLink Chair Dale Parker to muse about what TransLink
would do once it no longer had the 7 per cent parking sales tax to
count on for revenue.
So imagine the shock and awe when the
Ministry of Finance announced in December that the PST on parking in
TransLink’s region would triple from 7 per cent to 21 per cent.
But,
wait a minute! Wasn't the PST on parking supposed to be eliminated? Oh
no, explained the finance ministry. The PST on parking isn't really a
PST (even though it’s covered in the Social Services Tax Act, otherwise
known as the PST legislation), it’s a tax collected by the province for
TransLink, so it doesn't fall into the PST cuts originally announced,
even though they in fact, did announce it.
If you are not
already a bit befuddled by this, hold on to your wallet. According to
federal GST legislation, if a sales tax in B.C. is more than 11 per
cent, the 12 per cent HST will be charged on top of it. That means the
parking sales tax will not be 21 per cent as originally announced, but
23.52 per cent as of July 1, 2010. Paying HST on a tax? Can you say tax
grab?
But not only will working stiffs and shoppers trying to
park in the Lower Mainland pay HST on the parking sales tax, they will
pay HST on parking as well, bumping up the total tax paid on parking to
35.52 per cent!
Theory says that consumer prices should go down
once the HST is implemented. Experience tells that when government gets
involved, prices go up. The government says it is bringing in the HST
to lower costs and make the province more competitive for business
investment. But forgetting facts when they are no longer convenient and
arbitrarily increasing a tax is the mark of a government out of
control. The government must stick with original plan and repeal the
TransLink parking tax.
WASHINGTON, January 23, 2010 - Weather reports in the days leading up to Friday’s March for Life
warned of rain and snow; however, spirits were high and the weather
good on the day of the event, with no snow or rain falling and
temperatures remaining bearable. A sea of youth dominated the massive
crowd, one of the largest – if not the largest - in the history of the
37 years of the annual March for Life.
Organizer Nellie Gray told
the press that the numbers of marchers this year far exceeded last
year, which was estimated at well over 300,000. That sentiment was
echoed by many long-time March for Life participants.
The
morning prior to the March was filled with activities around the D.C.
area, with tens of thousands in attendance at major events. The
Verizon Centre was filled to capacity for the official 11 a.m. Mass.
A
Human Life International (HLI) ‘mini’-conference also was well
attended. The world’s largest pro-life organization packed their hotel
conference room, treating guests to bagels and coffee and the
experiences of HLI leaders from around the globe. A short address by
this reporter and a final talk by HLI President Fr. Tom Euteneuer
concluded the event, after which participants joined the hundreds of
thousands gathering for the march.
All along the route hundreds
of banners from high schools, colleges, religious orders, and pro-life
groups, could be seen leading their companies, with several marching
bands keeping a lively cadence throughout the throng.
While
pro-lifers marched by the hundreds of thousands, less than a dozen
pro-abortion supporters stood before the Supreme Court with signs.
Reading the CNN coverage, however, one would be led to believe the numbers were equal.
NPR similarly understated
to an extreme degree the disparity between the pro-life and
pro-abortion forces, admitting only that there were a “smaller number
of pro-choice demonstrators.” Notably missing was the fact that the
pro-abortion demonstrators were outnumbered about 20,000 to 1, or more.
The
Washington Post was more accurate, but still off by a factor of at
least 10. “Tens of thousands of abortion opponents marched through the
cold Friday in the annual March for Life,” reported the Post, adding, “Few counter-demonstrators were visible along the route, but some gathered in front of the Supreme Court.”
USA Today gave a feel for the massive pro-life presence at the March reporting that “120 buses of abortion protesters from southwestern Pennsylvania” alone took part.
Even
in the midst of such extreme bias from the mainstream media, however,
it was easy to pinpoint the most outlandish report – from Newsweek. The report by Krista Gesaman suggested that what was missing from the march were young women.
But far from missing, young women were in fact the dominant demographic at this 37th March for Life.
Congressman
Chris Smith addressed the marchers prior to the commencement of the
event, pointing to what he believes is the motivation for this year’s
massive turnout. He noted that “with healthcare plans trying to begin
using taxpayer dollars fund abortions for the first time since the
1970s via forcing insurance coverage, the U.S. is looking at the single
greatest expansion of abortion since the tragic Roe v Wade court ruling
37 years ago.”
Smith pointed out that in his first year in
office, President Obama has moved swiftly to: allow the use of U.S.
taxpayers money to fund abortion groups all over the word by rescinding
the Mexico City Policy; enable China’s coercive population control
program by funding the United Nations Population Fund; and roll back
restrictions on funding for human embryo-destroying stem cell
experimentation. Obama is also in the process of altering federal
regulations to roll back the nation’s existing conscience protection
laws that protect the rights and freedoms of healthcare providers (such
as Catholic hospitals, physicians and nurses) who are opposed to
performing abortions on personal or moral grounds.
However, Smith
went on to say, embodying the spirit of the pro-life movement:
"President Obama — the abortion president — should know this: even
though you have unleashed the full might and power of your
administration in the ignoble promotion of abortion on demand both in
the United States and around the world, especially in Africa and Latin
America, we do pray and fast for you, even as we tenaciously fight your
anti-life policies.”
The Skeena-Bulkley Valley Youth Caucus received a plaque and a letter of commendation and thanks from Party Leader Jim Hnatiuk for their help in fund-raising during his by-election campaign in 2009. Local youth participated in the fund-raising drive and raised more than $2000 for his campaign. Marissa Duursma won a gift certificate from Hero's Lighthouse for her exceptional efforts in soliciting funds. The CHP relies completely on voluntary donations from its members and supporters, unlike the Conservatives, Liberals, NDP, Bloc Quebecois and the Greens. Those parties receive annual taxpayer-funded subsidies amounting to $30 MILLION ! Local candidate Rod Taylor and EDA board members Theo Stad and Nancy Duursma were also on hand to offer their thanks for the good job done by these young people.
The CHP Youth Caucus met to plan events for the Spring and to discuss current issues, including the proposed HST.
CALGARY, Alberta, January 21, 2010 - The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has revoked the charitable status of
Kings Glory Fellowship (KGF), a Christian church in Calgary. CRA cites
a number of issues with KGF's application, but the decision is based,
in part, on the ground that certain KGF Board members have spoken out
strongly against abortion, and other moral issues.
"The members
of the Board of Directors espouse strong negative views about sensitive
and controversial issues, which may also be viewed as political, such
as abortion, homosexuality, divorce, etc.,” wrote CRA agent Dian
Prodanov in an October 29th letter.
These “political” views make
the church ineligible because, according to the agent, a registered
charity “may only engage in non-partisan political activities as long
as it devotes substantially all (usually 90% or more) of its resources
to charitable activities."
KGF's pastor, Artur Pawlowski, is also
the founder and pastor of Street Church Ministries, which has made
headlines because of its battle with the city of Calgary to uphold its
right to preach to and serve the city's poor.
In December, a
provincial court judge sided with Pawlowski and SCM, striking down
several city infractions against them. Further, the judge found that
"the City's attempts ... to limit the scope of the efforts by the
accused to minister to his congregants, fall precariously close to
being excessive and, to any reasonable observer, an abuse of power."
Prodanov
cited numerous problems with KGF's application, such as a lack of
detail about various expenditures, but Pawlowski called these other
reasons “smoke screens.”
“The main point is that they don't like
my opinions about different controversial issues, and I speak about
them openly on radio, in paper, and on TV,” he said. “So that's what
happens when you express your views as a pastor.”
“If they take
the charity status away from a church, they are hoping that they are
going to starve us to death in Canada, and therefore we will not be
able to influence anyone,” he continued. “That's basically what
happens. That's what they want to accomplish. They want to muzzle us
up.”
Contact Information:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa K1A 0A2
Fax: 613-941-6900
E-mail:
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Hon. Keith Ashfield
Minister of National Revenue
7th Floor
555 MacKenzie Avenue
Ottawa ON K1A 0L5
Phone: (613) 992-1067
Fax: (613) 996-9955
E-mail:
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Imagine
the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) shows up at your door to do an audit.
As if that alone isn’t scary enough, they proceed to take both copies
of your documents, originals and photocopies -- without your
permission. They lose or destroy these key originals. Then they assess
hefty tax bills against you because you cannot provide documents in
your defense. CRA mistakenly demands you pay $800,000 in taxes
allegedly owed. This helps ruin your business, leaving you broke. Does
this sound far-fetched? Not according to British Columbia’s Mr. Irvin
Leroux, who has lost everything fighting for 14 years against such
bully tactics by the CRA.
His treatment outraged his MP, the
long-serving Dick Harris, who took up his cause with the former
Minister of National Revenue. According to Mr. Leroux, his MP was told
by the Minister that the CRA couldn’t pro-actively compensate Mr.
Leroux for his loss, but that he could sue the government and they
would offer a settlement.
As ridiculous as it is that Mr. Leroux
has been forced to sue the Canadian government to get back some or all
of what he has lost in his lengthy tax fight fiasco, not a nickel has
been offered. In this case it appears the federal government made a
mistake; a big one at that. They should just admit it, apologize for
it, and settle out of court with Mr. Leroux. Instead, they are playing
the Goliath against his David, fighting him in court and denying any
wrong-doing on their part.
The latest tactic employed by
government lawyers, scheduled for court at the end of this January, has
been to argue that Leroux’s lawsuit has no merit as his tax case was
resolved earlier.
The newest and fastest-growing branch of the CHP in Canada----the Skeena-Bulkley Valley CHP Youth Caucus----is drawing attention across the country as young people in Northern BC are pouring their energy and enthusiasm into practical efforts to transform society! The group has had several fundraisers and is reaching out to young people across the riding who have a heart for righteousness and a willingness to roll up their sleeves to see Canada lead the world with sound family values, a respect for human life and the personal freedoms we all cherish.
By: Maureen Bader
The Skeena-Bulkley Valley Youth Caucus received a plaque and a letter of commendation and thanks from Party Leader Jim Hnatiuk for their help in fund-raising during his by-election campaign in 2009. Local youth participated in the fund-raising drive and raised more than $2000 for his campaign. Marissa Duursma won a gift certificate from Hero's Lighthouse for her exceptional efforts in soliciting funds. The CHP relies completely on voluntary donations from its members and supporters, unlike the Conservatives, Liberals, NDP, Bloc Quebecois and the Greens. Those parties receive annual taxpayer-funded subsidies amounting to $30 MILLION ! Local candidate Rod Taylor and EDA board members Theo Stad and Nancy Duursma were also on hand to offer their thanks for the good job done by these young people.
Spring and to discuss current issues, including the proposed HST.
