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From the December 5 Delta Optimist:

"I am not sure where I stand on the HST and it would appear to be confusing for others as well. There are benefits to business and job creation, but there are times where we’ll have to pay more tax.

It’s an interesting argument, and the HST is certainly a political hot potato.

It’s for that reason why I was a little surprised when I heard that Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff stated that his party would support the Conservatives in their endorsement of the HST.

Ignatieff needs something to jump-start his party and the HST seems like an issue to build some grass root support around. He and his party are floundering and need something to credibly engage Canadians.

In the end, Ignatieff maintained the old Liberal support of the HST that Jean Chretien built back in the nineties and has already been adopted by five other provinces.

Where does this leave our Conservative MP John Cummins? He has gone on-record as saying he is against the HST, but this past Thursday he voted with his party to support it.

On another local front, former Premier Bill Vander Zalm has found the cameras again by spearheading an anti-HST campaign and has suggested that recall would be used as a tool to crack any “whipped vote” in the legislature. Vander Zalm says targeting ridings where the vote was close would be a good place to start recall in a year or so.

Close races....Hummm? Last week this newspaper ran a huge photo and cover story on the HST and how our MLA Vicki Huntington had gathered signatures for a petition against it. The photo showed staff in the constituency office holding what was presumably a no-HST petition. Vicki even participated in an anti-HST rally at Canada Place this fall where she described the HST as a “colossal insult”.

A week ago Thursday, Vicki Huntington rejoined her colleagues in the Legislature to close the fall session. This is where Members of the Legislative Assembly continue the discussion of the Throne Speech that opened the session and come to a vote as to whether or not they support it.

The Throne Speech can be read online www.leg.bc.ca, but it is interesting to note that a good deal of the speech was dedicated to justify how the HST would help bolster the economy in BC.

A vote on the Throne Speech declares whether or not MLAs support the government. There is no “in-between” here. Either you do or you don’t….. a simple Yeah or Nay.

As expected, the NDP voted against the HST heavy Throne Speech – but BOTH Vicki Huntington and the BC Liberals voted it for it.

Is Vicki trying to have her cake and eat it too? If you support the HST, would you feel chided to see your MLA support the HST Throne Speech - but use opposition to it for questionable politicking?

If you are one of the people who signed the no HST petition locally - and you see that your MLA supported an HST heavy Throne Speech - would you feel colossally insulted? "

Mike Schneider