(The following article is from the September 16-30, 2009, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

People's Voice Editorial, Sept. 16-30, 2009

Once again, we hear the tired old refrain that "there is no alternative" to policies like the "Harmonized Sales Tax." The HST, according to the BC Liberals, will "stimulate the economy" by moving $1.9 billion annually from the pockets of working people to the corporations. Somebody forgot to tell Premier Campbell and Finance Minister Colin Hansen that making the rich richer and the poor poorer was a major factor in the present global economic crisis. But Campbell and Hansen represent the corporations, not the people.

     Many groups in British Columbia are busy campaigning to stop the HST, and more power to them. We urge everyone to join the Sept. 19 rallies to block this hated tax measure.

     But there is also an urgent need to fight for progressive alternatives, such as advanced by the Communist Party of BC during last May's election. Reversing Campbell's tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations could raise over $1.5 billion annually. Raising taxes on the resource corporations that are draining BC's natural wealth would bring in further huge revenues.

     This approach could provide badly-needed pay increases for public sector workers, raise social assistance rates by 50%, and build 5000 new low-income and social housing units annually. It could stop the painful cuts imposed on health authorities and school boards across the province. It could expand public transit and tackle the devastating impact of the pine beetle destruction in forestry-based communities.

     Together with moves to raise the minimum wage, to legislate improved working conditions and Labour Code protections for all workers, and to improve access to education and training for youth, such a "people not profits" strategy could turn British Columbia around. The fight today is to stop the HST, but the struggle for a fundamental shift in policies must continue!