I will be encouraging British Columbians to vote against the HST in the upcoming referendum. Despite government claims, the HST remains a tax that forces families and small businesses to pay more.

From the beginning the government has made promises about the HST it simply couldn’t keep. The HST has not generated more than 100,000 jobs, lowered consumer prices, proven revenue neutral, or been used to fund public healthcare.

Nor will lowering the rate disguise the fact that under the HST, British Columbians will pay more and continue to see their household budget stretched to pay for tax reductions for big corporations.

Coffee is another item that costs British Columbians more under the HST

In March, prior to becoming Premier, Clark ruled out reducing the HST, saying “I think people will see that as buying them with their own money.” In a recent about-face, the government announced a two per cent cut to the HST – a sign of desperation from a government determined to save a flawed tax.

B.C. families do the math on their household budget every day and they understand that under the HST, more items are taxed than under the PST, like haircuts, a daily coffee and fees for children’s sports activities, not to mention big ticket items like buying a new home, repairing a leaky roof, and home renovations.

The government is now claiming that the average family only pays $350 more per year under the HST, but they don’t tell you that they count one person as a family, artificially deflating the numbers. According to a Statistics Canada study on how the HST affects families, a two-income family, with both members making $50,000 each (the average B.C. salary) will pay over $1,000 more per year under the HST.

2011 homeless count shows
shelters don’t solve homelessness

The Metro Vancouver 2011 Homeless Count has released its preliminary report, finding an overall decrease of 1 per cent in homelessness since 2008, and a significant reduction in street homelessness, largely attributable to provincial, municipal, and private investments in temporary shelters.

Although I am glad to see the number of unsheltered homeless people decrease, the sad fact remains that there has been very little change in the overall level of homelessness in Metro Vancouver.

We need a provincial strategy that focuses on creating long-term affordable housing for our homeless population and for those at risk of homelessness. Shelters, although important step in tackling street homelessness, do not address the root causes of homelessness, including poverty and a lack of affordable housing.

The report also found a modest 7 per cent reduction in homeless aboriginal people, and a disturbing 29 per cent increase in homeless youth since 2008.

Read the Metro Vancouver 2011 Homeless Count preliminary report at http://stophomelessness.ca/learn-more-2/homeless-count/

See past reports and other useful resources at http://www.metrovancouver.org/planning/homelessness/Pages/Resources.aspx

Read about the cost of homelessness at www.housing.gov.bc.ca/housing/docs/Vol3.pdf

In the Legislature: Cystic Fibrosis Awareness

S. Simpson: “May is Cystic Fibrosis Month in Canada...CF is the most common and fatal genetic disease facing young people in our country. It causes a mucus buildup by damaging the lining of the lungs and blocking enzymes from reaching the intestines to digest food.

It affects about one in 3,600 children in B.C., including my nephew Liam. Liam is 11 years old and full of life and energy, but it is a life that includes regular hospital trips for his tune-ups and his many medications.

However, in the 1960s children with CF rarely lived to attend kindergarten. Today over half live well into their 40s, but it is still not good enough. We are making progress, but we still have a long way to go.

I know how Liam’s diagnosis radically changed his family’s lives and their daily routines, including significant additional costs, even with government support.
Across B.C. families deal with the challenges of CF every day. They face pressures that leave a terrible uncertainty for their future...

I am hopeful Liam will live to collect his old age pension, but it will require more supports from government and individuals, including funding for medical research and increased support for CF families.

I’ll be walking in the Great Strides fundraiser on May 29 and hope all members and all British Columbians will support the fight against CF. We can beat this disease. We can give our young people with CF, like Liam, back their lives...We can make it happen.

May 17, 2011. Full text available at: http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/39th3rd/H10517p.htm

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