Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett (Liberal) says the Official Opposition NDP are playing politics after Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald sharply criticized the Liberal government yesterday over how it has handled the scrapping of the HST and how they’re moving forward with the resort municipality funding program.

“It is more than a little hypocritical for the NDP to now complain about uncertainty in the economy, after straining to their utmost to get rid of the Harmonized Sales Tax (after promising they would not participate in the referendum),” Bennett told e-KNOW.

“The expert report the NDP are fond of quoting also contains, quite explicitly, a statement that the return to two separate sales taxes will take 18 months; government has to set up a new tax, complete with new collection, remittance and audit office and staff – the old PST system having been terminated on July 1, 2010. The NDP knew this when they put their full weight behind a ‘yes” vote in the referendum and now they want to complain?” Bennett said, then turning his sights on Macdonald’s concerns about the loss of resort municipality funding, which comes from a two per cent room tax on each hotel room rented.

“I am surprised by Mr. Macdonald’s comments about the resort marketing program. I personally told Mr. MacDonald yesterday, after speaking with the Finance Minister, that the resort municipality marketing initiatives are considered to be very successful by government and that there is absolutely no risk these important tourism initiatives will not be funded. Mr. Macdonald also spoke directly with the Minister of Tourism yesterday who told him the same thing. MLA Macdonald is trying to play politics by spreading misinformation and fear in his own tourism industry. Shame on him,” Bennett stated.

As for Macdonald’s criticism about Finance Minister and Deputy Premier Kevin Falcon, based on an exchange in the provincial Legislature Nov. 21, Bennett said, “Minister Falcon in Question Period, Monday, November 21st, stated that the old Provincial Sales Tax system with all its complex and irrational rules and special exemptions is a “stupid” tax. The only thing that is “sad” is that Norm Macdonald is prepared to slag someone who is working his tail off for the people of B.C. and suggest Minister Falcon would be disrespectful enough or “stupid” enough to criticize the electorate.

“Minister Falcon is working on transitional rules and interim steps to deal with the housing industry and other important aspect of the transition back to PST. We get what the important issues are,” he said, adding, “Mr. Macdonald fails to acknowledge his own party’s dismal record at managing the economy when they had their opportunity. B.C. went from number one to number 10 in Canada under the NDP.

“This government is the government that has in place policies that have led to B.C. being one of the most stable, attractive investment jurisdictions on the globe. That’s why we are only one of two provinces in Canada with a triple A credit rating, why we have the lowest personal income tax rates in Canada and place near the top in Canada for job creation and take home pay. B.C. is relatively well off compared to most of the rest of the world. That is something we are building on with our work in Asia to bring more investment and job creation,” Bennett concluded.

To see Macdonald’s full comments go to: https://www.e-know.ca/news/macdonald-says-liberal-hst-chaos-hurting-resort-municipalities/ .

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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