Mr Ignatieff, it’s time to come clean on HST

OTTAWA - Forty-eight hours ago, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty contradicted what Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has been saying about his support for sales tax harmonization in Ontario and British Columbia.

Since then Mr Ignatieff has gone silent on the issue. Even Premier McGuinty can’t get clarification from the federal Liberal leader.

“Ignatieff, who called the HST the Harper Sales Tax after Prime Minister Stephen Harper, did not respond to a request for comment, nor had any of his staff contacted anyone in the premier's office yesterday, officials said.” (Toronto Sun, September 17, 2009)

Today, New Democrats are calling on Ignatieff to explain himself. Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) and Don Davies (Vancouver-Kingsway) suggested that Mr Ignatieff owes the people of Ontario and British Columbia answers to these questions:

• On Tuesday, Premier McGuinty said: “[Ignatieff support of the HST] is based on my understanding derived from a number of conversations between my office and Mr. Ignatieff’s office.” (Globe and Mail, September 15, 2009). What was the substance of those “conversations”?
• Does Mr. Ignatieff agree with his Finance Critic, John McCallum, who said the HST is “absolutely what the doctor ordered for the economy”? (National Post, March 27, 2009)
• Or does he agree with his BC MP Ujjal Dosanjh who said: “It is absolutely horrendous and it's criminal on the part of the Conservative government to be pushing this policy in a time of deep economic recession”? (CP, August 26, 2009)
• Or does he agree with both of them?
• Who should Canadians believe? A Premier who has never hidden his support for the HST hike, or yourself who has left Canadians guessing where you stand?
• When federal legislation is tabled to implement the sales tax hike, will he support that legislation? Will he order his caucus to as well?