It was a beautiful Canada Day long weekend and the official ceremonies at the Mennonite Heritage Village Museum on Monday in Steinbach drew hundreds of people. As every Canada Day is, it was a time to reflect on the many things that we are blessed with as Canadians, not the least of which are our democratic freedoms which are protected by law.
During the visits with constituents I was able to have during the weekend, many expressed concern not only with the PST increase that took place on July 1 (from 7% to 8%) but also with the way in which the increase happened. They wondered how, on Canada Day of all days, the provincial NDP government could bring in an increase to the PST without the law that allows for the increase actually having passed in the Manitoba Legislature. They wondered how the NDP could take away their legislated right for a referendum on the increase, a right that has been in legislation since the mid 1990’s.
Those are many of the same questions that the hundreds of presenters who are appearing at a Legislative Committee concerning Bill 20 (the legislation that increases the PST) are asking. That committee continued this week despite the fact that the NDP are already enforcing the PST increase.
The most common question that I have received recently regarding the PST is whether the increase is legal since the legislation has not actually passed. These questions have come from both businesses, who are forced to collect the 8% PST as well as from individuals, who are forced to pay the PST.
As a Progressive Conservative Caucus, we have expressed concerns that the NDP may be breaking the law by increasing the PST in the way that they have.Our focus has been on trying to convince the NDP to listen to Manitobans and change their mind on the PST hike. We have been in the Legislature for weeks trying to convince Greg Selinger and the NDP that they need to be looking for savings within government and should not just simply ask Manitobans to pay more.
And that is something we will continue to do. However, it is also becoming apparent that the NDP are not listening and it is time to consider all options that are available. With that in mind, the Progressive Conservative Caucus announced earlier this week that we would support legal action against Bill 20 and the PST increase. Long-time Winnipeg attorney Robert Tapper has been retained to bring forward a case before the Court of Queen’s Bench that Bill 20 violates the law and due process.
The application cannot be made to the court until Bill 20 has actually passed but it is important to let Manitobans know that we are willing to take this additional step to stand up for their democratic rights. Those democratic rights are, after all, one of the things we celebrated just this past weekend on Canada Day.
