(British Columbia Premier John Horgan)
by Harvey Oberfeld
May 27, 2019
Premier John Horgan and his NDP government are laughing all the way to the bank.
First, they made it look like they ARE doing “something” about money-laundering and in BC and its impact on high housing prices by basically doing “nothing”: appointing a public inquiry.
Ho hum! As I pointed out on this blog, all that will do, is ensure the money laundering will continue for YEARS more … no REAL action to stop it NOW … as various governments, their developer and realtor friends, party financial contributors, the bureaucracy and all the lawyers involved continue to cash in from the process.
You can review that article here: http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/public-inquiry-will-benefit-governments-lawyers-realtors-casinos-investors-bureaucrats-money-launderers-and-their-friends-but-not-you/
It will be a WASTE of millions and millions of public dollars … and in the end, I predict, tell us very little authorities don’t already know.
But the public and most of the media bought it.
So much so … Horgan/NDP have done it again … this time ordering an “inquiry” of sorts by the BC Utilities Commission into high gasoline prices: MORE STUDYING … instead of ACTION … in an attempt to satisfy the masses and the media … while the various governments, agencies and their corporate friends and supporters will AGAIN continue to cash in … and the public continues to suffer.
The BCUC will have the power to subpoena oil and gas company executives to explain how they set … or many would say FIX … gasoline prices in BC.
Great! Can hardly wait to watch them explain why BC has among the highest gasoline prices in North America; the least competition I’ve seen anywhere; the fastest increases I’ve ever noticed when world prices rise and the slowest drops I’ve ever noticed when world prices fall.
And hopefully we’ll see them defending their HUGE profits too, while they’re at it.
But that’s all only part of the picture.
Horgan/NDP have ORDERED the utilities Commission NOT to look at the BC government’s OWN policies … in other words, provincially-imposed TAXES and FEES, as they affect gas prices.
What a farce!
Who EVER heard of an inquiry being ORDERED in their terms of reference NOT to look at a MAJOR reason for the very problem they are asked to examine.
Ridiculous! What are Horgan/NDP afraid of … that they don’t already know?
I submit it’s THEIR OWN RIPOFF of the taxpayers … beyond any reasonable measure of taxation….. that they do not want focussed in on or publicized.
There’s the Provincial Metro Vancouver fuel tax 1.75 cents per litre in Metro Vancouver (7.75 cents elsewhere in BC); plus BC’s carbon tax 9.8 cents; the BC Transportation Authority tax 6.75 cents; TransLink tax in the Metro area 17 cents; Transit tax in Victoria 5.5 cents; Federal excise tax 10 cents … and then, dadding insult to injury, don’t forget the GST 5% … added to the total price.
That’s more than 60 cents a litre ADDED ON by governments/agencies in the Vancouver area.
And the carbon tax will INCREASE another 1.5 cents per litre …. up to 18.5 cents per litre … July 1.
“B.C. drivers are being taken for a ride by politicians who are using them like tax-grab ATMs,” said Kris Sims, B.C. Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
And ironically, top wage earners aren’t feeling the pain as much as middle class, working families…. those in urban areas, who voted largely for the NDP.
Cutting in half the government/agencies’ extortion rate of taxation on gasoline … on top of reining in any corporate greed … would go a long way to restoring fairness in BC gas prices.
But the Utilities Commission won’t be allowed to say so.
