So Mr. Premier, how’s your summer going so far? I hear you’ve been promoting the glories of the HST on Facebook! You’ll recall (I do love that word) that it’s the tax that shifts $2 billion in taxes from big business to consumers. I have to admire your determination to get around BC Elections restrictions in not advertising in support of the HST to defend your government’s position. I also hear that you have over 2,500 friends on Facebook. That must be some consolation for you as you continue to have the lowest ratings ever for any BC Premier. I understand the Minister of Finance Colin Hansen has his own page on facebook too. Apparently he only has 319 friends. Wow, I am really impressed with the way that both of you have glommed onto the newest technology to get your message across. Since you two have basically blown BC’s finances into a huge deficit, I’m glad to see that you’re both trying to communicate with the masses using a free tool like Facebook. I’m thinking though that your ability as a salesman for the Hated Sales Tax is pretty compromised regardless of whatever techie approach you decide to try out.

While we’re talking about money and taxes, did you know that in spite of the three-and-a-half cent carbon tax that you’ve previously imposed on gasoline - and as of July 1 the additional one cent increase for a grand total of four-and-a-half cents per litre - BC drivers have just racked up the highest year-to-year increase in gas sales for the past three decades. that’s a ten per cent increase from 1022 litres per capita in 2008 to 1117 in 2009. I guess the gas tax idea just isn’t doing what you said it would. And now with the increase in emissions from all the additional gas usage, that has obviously contributed to the fact that in 2009 BC was the only province to experience an increase in greenhouse emissions. It seems that your assurance that the carbon tax would reduce gas usage and carbon in the atmosphere in BC is likely about as accurate as your assertion that the HST will be good for the people of BC.

I also have to wonder why you and your government are promoting massive highway expansions like the Port Mann Bridge and the new Gateway projects that will increase our dependence on gasoline for many years to come rather than working to create solutions that will reduce our reliance on petroleum.

Then I am reminded of your government’s support for the gas and oil pipelines and the resultant dangerous oil tanker traffic along the BC coast, not to mention your support for lifting the “moratorium” on drilling for gas off the coast, especially in light of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Seems to me our dollars would be far better spent in developing energy technologies that don’t rely on gas, oil, and coal - like solar, wind, and tidal power.

We have a lot of each of the latter list, and none of them is gas or oil dependent. And they don’t spew crap into the air we breathe. Just a thought. Maybe I’ll “friend” you on Facebook and make these suggestions.

Mr. Premier, a few decades ago former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King said: “Where there is little or no public opinion, there is likely to be bad government, which sooner or later becomes autocratic government”. It would appear that up until the HST fiasco, the people of British Columbia seemed almost to acquiesce to the possibility of another four years of Liberal rule in this province. However, the arrogant and conceited manner in which you and your ministers mishandled this tax issue has finally given rise to a groundswell of disbelief and anger that has the potential to force a reconsideration of this decision.

If not, then the same determination will likely be applied to the goal of recalling you and enough of your government members to remove your majority in the Legislative Assembly and perhaps cause an election. In my humble opinion, this is a fine example of real democracy in action, not just the standard pedestrian, low turn-out march to the polls to elect our autocrat for the next term of government. Now wouldn’t that be something to write home about!

Well Mr. Premier, enjoy your summer. Actually, I probably won’t be checking your Facebook page much during the next few months as I plan on being busy encouraging people to write to all the MLA’s who have supported the HST to remind them that this is not the will of the people. Something to think about I suggest.