XPost: bc.politics, van.general, vic.general   
   From: NøCøns@our.House   
      
   They've changed one right winger leader for another right winger.   They're   
   talking about   
   changing their party name now that the federal Liberals are on the down and   
   out trend.  But   
   some things just don't change.  Shutting down dissent is still their mark and   
   trade . . . . .   
   _________________________________________   
   The Globe and Mail -   Tuesday, May. 31, 2011   
      
   BC Liberals use majority to shut down legislature   
      
   Last updated The BC Liberals used a debate-ending closure motion Tuesday to   
   ensure the   
   harmonized sales tax is cut by two percentage points if British Columbians   
   vote to keep it in   
   next month's mail-in referendum.   
   The HST changes are one of several pieces of government business that will   
   receive approval by   
   Thursday afternoon, despite the protests of the Opposition New Democrats,   
   whose calls for a   
   two-week extension of the current legislative session were rejected.   
      
   The Liberal closure motion, which takes effect at 5 p.m. Thursday, ensures the   
   government will   
   pass more than a dozen pieces of legislation, including the Yale First Nation   
   Treaty and a new   
   law that establishes an independent police investigations office.   
      
   The closure motion also allows the Liberals to pass the B.C. budget tabled   
   last February.   
      
   Liberal House Leader Rich Coleman said the government provided enough time to   
   debate the HST,   
   the budget and the other proposed legislation. He accused the NDP of   
   deliberately stalling   
   debate.   
      
   Mr. Coleman said he wasn't giving in to NDP demands for a two-week extension,   
   saying the   
   government decided it would not recall the legislature in the weeks leading up   
   to and during   
   the NDP leadership convention last month.   
      
   The NDP elected leader Adrian Dix on April 17 and the session started April 27.   
      
   “I didn't want to have to do this,” said Mr. Coleman. “This is the decision   
   that they [the NDP]   
   made that they wanted to force this to happen, so I accommodated them.”   
      
   New Democrat House Leader John Horgan said the Liberal closure motion meant he   
   wasn't able to   
   contribute to the HST debate in the legislature because it was passed less   
   than 24 hours after   
   it was introduced.   
      
   The motion ensures Liberal changes to the HST — cutting the tax to 10 per cent   
   by July 2014,   
   offering $175 rebate cheques to children and low-income seniors and postponing   
   big and small   
   business tax cuts — will take place if British Columbians vote to keep the tax   
   in next month's   
   mail-in referendum.   
      
   Mr. Horgan did not get to participate in the HST debate in the legislature,   
   but neither did   
   Premier Christy Clark, whose turn to speak was denied by an extended speech by   
   Vancouver Island   
   New Democrat Bill Routley.   
      
   Mr. Routley said the Liberals are trying to use taxpayers' money to convince   
   British Columbians   
   they should support an unfair tax. Mr. Routley mocked a government advertising   
   campaign that   
   uses images of stick people to discuss the HST.   
      
   “We see their stick men,” said Mr. Routley. “You're there to stick it to   
   ordinary people.”   
      
   Ms. Clark said outside of the legislature she wasn't disappointed at not being   
   able to   
   participate in the HST debate in the legislature because she will have other   
   opportunities,   
   including during question periods.   
      
   “The House is one venue for a politician to talk, but there are a lot of other   
   venues,” she   
   said.   
      
   The government has been in session at the legislature for 24 days so far this   
   year.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)