Dear Sir:
This is in regards to the “NDP misled the taxpayer” letter in the July 13 Terrace Standard. Mr. Sawchuk should stick to facts which are relevant and not on slamming a political party.
We should count ourselves fortunate that we have the opportunity to hold the politicians accountable throughout their mandate not just at election time.
Only five provinces have the HST, and two have only had the HST for a year (BC and Ontario). The HST was brought in to create jobs. Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick had the HST prior to BC and Ontario. All have higher unemployment than B.C. and Ontario.
At June 2011 the unemployment rate for Newfoundland was 12.3 per cent, 8.7 per cent in Nova Scotia and 9.6 per cent in New Brunswick. B.C had a 7.3 per cent rate and Ontario 7.7 per cent.
In fact if you look at June 2010 prior to B.C. instituting the HST. The unemployment rates were as follows: Newfoundland 14.6 per cent, Nova Scotia 8.8 per cent and New Brunswick 9.2 per cent. Compared to B.C. at 7.8 per cent.
Saskatchewan rejected the HST in 1991. The unemployment rate for Saskatchewan in June 2010 was 5.5 per cent and June 2011, 4.9 per cent.
The HST came in to create jobs, yet the provinces with the HST have higher unemployment than BC and Ontario, and the province that rejected the HST has the lowest rate in the country.
So why do the provinces with HST have higher unemployment when the HST is supposed to create employment?
Len Lovering, Terrace, BC