Anti-HST petition ruled legal in B.C. Supreme Court

Former B.C. premier Bill Vander Zalm’s 700,000-signature petition against British Columbia’s HST will be allowed to proceed, according to the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. In a quick judgment on Friday, the Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Bauman rejected the big business coalition’s bid to kill the controversial petition. This decision has been credited with ending the
stand-off about the petition, which has remained in limbo since business and industry challenged its legality. Justice Bauman dismissed all of the arguments raised by the coalition that included the Council of Forest Industries, the Mining Association and the B.C. Chamber of Commerce. “I would not give effect to any of [their] submissions and I dismiss this application,” Chief Justice Bauman concluded. The business groups said they would respect the decision and not appeal, though B.C. Chamber of Commerce president John Winter said he was disappointed with the decision.

Vancouver Sun