Wayne McQ.

Big mistake!! That is exactly what the Liberal government in NB did, along with NS, and NL. PE was the only Atlantic province with any brains and decided that they wanted no part in a harmonized sales tax. For starters in many cases the provincial jurisdiction can choose not to apply sales tax to essentials like heat, lights, phone services and clotheing and footwear, but the GST is applied to all of those categories. When a province decides to harmonize their PST with the GST, they have no choice but to apply the tax to every item or service that the GST is applied to. Aside from the fact that Atlantic Canada has fallen for this snow-job, why shoud other jurisdictions?

Another step in our march towards true democracy would be to have those vying to be either Premier or Prime Minister should be made to run at-large, instead of in their individual riding as is now the case. This is undemocratic since it is not the people who choose the leader but that task is now done by the party. Once elected the other representatives then become accountable to the leader, not to the people who elected them to office. Once elected they are dictated to by an unelected leader.

Of course the Liberals like to maintain the status quo because it means they have an advantage in every election, and then they have the nerve to pretend to be concerned that people have become so disenfranchised. No wonder people are fed up with crooked politicians right across this country. STV should be implemented not only here in BC, but right across the country including federally. At least nobody will feel they have lost their vote. The reason the mainstream parties would like to maintain the status quo is that they can easily for majority governments and they no longer have to compromise on legislation. STV means they will have no choice but to compromise since it will mean that the opinions of ordinary people will have to be considered before legislation is passed. From my perspective, I am sick and tired of elitist politicians attempting to tell me what it is that I want or what is good for me, all the while raising taxes to pay for their hair-brained schemes.

Maybe it's time to send the troops back into Quebec and arrest all separatists, try them for treason and put these idiots where they belong, behind a set of bars. These idiots hate everything English, and it started when Canadians were stupid enough to elect a Liberal government led by Trudeau. Trudeau who started this whole language issue and pitted one language against the other, and up until that time the English and the French seemed to get along fine. We need to live in harmony otherwise the whole country of Canada will fail and we will wind up as part of the U.S.A., not that that would be a bad thing, since most corporations are partly or wholely owned by U.S. interests anyway, including our once proud Crown Corporation, CN Rail (if not majority owned by U.S. interests, the control of the oard is in U.S. hands.). Now tell me, who was expected to pay for teh reenactment of the French gettting beaten on the Plains of Abraham, Heritage Canada? God know the government of Quebec doesn't have the money for it since they are continually crying poor-mouth, while Duceppe dumps on the Tar Sands in Ft. McMurray, Alberta, the very place Quebec's welfare cheque comes from through their transfer payments. Duceppe should at least be smart enough to keep his bis mouth shut and quit biting the hand that feeds him, because if Alberta falls, it will mean one thing for Quebec and the rest of Canada's 'Have-Not," Welfare Provinces, they will all fail with them.

I remember when Canada signed the F.T.A. and almost immediately Carter Ink Company announced the closure of their Canadian manufacturing operations citing that it had nothing whatsoever to do with the Free Trade Agreement. Carter Ink Company at the time owned outright such brand names as Gillette, Wilkinson Sword razors, Paper-mate, and other brand names. They were followed shortly by other manufacturing firms corporately owned by U. S. interests and only operating in Canada to avoid importation duties. I would bet that these same products are now being manufactured in China or some other 3rd World country where these corporate bums can exploit the labour force. Shame that it is we have allowed this to happen to ourselves. Has anyone tried recently to purchase a pair of runners or dress shoes for that matter at a Canadian retailer? I can tell you that I have and almost without exception the products are marked; "Made in China." I find it funny when I hear these people of affluence dumping on Walmart for stocki8ng; Made in China," on their shelves, but upon checking in other retailers such as Sears, The Bay, Zellers, and virtually every other retailer, the only difference in identical products is that the prices are higher than Walmart. The same goods and the same inferior quality for even brand name products but the prices are far more inflated for in many cases the same models and brand name products. The only way to send a message to these corporate bums is for Canada, the U.S.A. & Mexico to banned together and make a decision to buy nothing that is not manufactured in North America. The only thing that will make these corporate bums sit up and listen is to hit them where it hurts, in their pocketbook. When their shareholders discover that their dividends are worthless they will demand one of two options from these corporation, either move their operations back to North America, or go bankrupt. We have to start somewhere to recreate manufacturing jobs here or resign ourselves to seeing things continue to get worse, by even more jobs and services outsourced to the 3rd World. It's a choice we need to make for the sake of North America, or we will eventually find ourselves as little more than 3rd World countries with little or no social safety nets, due to lack of available tax dollars. Remember, the unemployed and those living in poverty, do not pay taxes!