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Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)


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For all you Canadian gamers out there,

 

I just got an email from my game rental service (GameAccess) telling me I'll be paying an extra 7% tax on any games I buy because I live in BC.

 

For those who don't know, there are 2 taxes on most goods in BC: Provincial Sales Tax (7%) and Goods & Sales Tax (5%, nationwide). A new tax (HST) comes into effect tomorrow (Canada Day) in BC and Ontario combining these 2 taxes, meaning we have to pay 12% tax on all items (with a few exceptions).

 

GameAccess is based in Montreal, so I thought I would be able to bypass the new tax, but alas I was wrong. In my opinion, if you are purchasing a product, you should pay the tax associated with the place the product is bought, not where you're buying it from. I don't really care if it's "good for the economy", it's not good for MY economy.

 

Anyone else have any comments on this issue?

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It's a load of shit. Now we have to pay extra money for certain things that were exempted from certain taxes. Now instead of paying 6% tax we have to pay 13%. And let's not talk about gas, which already rapes our wallets enough.

 

Whoever thought this was a good idea is absolutely retarded. It's not any better for the economy, it's just the government's way of nabbing some extra money to waste. However, I blame Canadians more than the government. We're such fucking sheep that we just let the government do this because the majority of us are too retarded to realize what this tax means. I first witnessed HST last year when I visited Halifax and realised what a load of shite it was, so imagine how surprised I was when they announced it in Ontario and hardly anybody was raising a fuss.

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meh..stop crying -.-

 

we pay 19% on everythign just the "value add tax"

add gas. tobacco. and so on...

 

oh yeah...forgot the ~20-50% in come tax..

 

gas prices are so rediculous low over there. actualy you shold pay shitloads for it with cars wich waste so much of it for nothing....

 

My opinion...

 

People driving 8 litre engines or w/e and crying for gas prices....pfff wtf.

Go get a proper car with non-stoneage tech!

And afaik we stil pay much more for gas, like 1,7 $ per litre over here even if we waste way less of it. there are almost no cars on the streets anymore with more that a 2 litre engine. Of course you stil lhave the big spenders with their nice M3 or R8 or whatever but thats kinda rare.

 

That's something pissing me off a lot in real life too, people whining and complaining but most probably causing all that shit themself.

Not talking about you guys in personaly, but finaly the us woke up after 50 years of wasting global resources.

 

So dont be offended, except you hit my creterias =P

Edited by Sabrelord
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It's a load of shit. Now we have to pay extra money for certain things that were exempted from certain taxes. Now instead of paying 6% tax we have to pay 13%. And let's not talk about gas, which already rapes our wallets enough.

 

Whoever thought this was a good idea is absolutely retarded. It's not any better for the economy, it's just the government's way of nabbing some extra money to waste. However, I blame Canadians more than the government. We're such fucking sheep that we just let the government do this because the majority of us are too retarded to realize what this tax means. I first witnessed HST last year when I visited Halifax and realised what a load of shite it was, so imagine how surprised I was when they announced it in Ontario and hardly anybody was raising a fuss.

 

I'm pretty happy it doesn't touch groceries, so that's something that's exempt.

 

Anyways, have you read any studies on the HST? One particular study from a well-known economist named Jack Mintz--who is from the University of Calgary--says that it will create over 600,000 jobs over the next 10 years, increase wages, lower prices, and bring in a ton of investment (something in the double-digit billions).

 

Source: http://wcmprod2.ucalgary.ca/publicpolicy/files/publicpolicy/Mintz%20ONLINE%20%28Nov%2009%29.pdf

 

Honestly, does any of that sound bad? No, I think it all sounds pretty damn good. That doesn't sound like a crock of shit to me nor does it sound like it's bad for Canada at all. The addition of HST has helped create a solid plan in Ontario, which sees the province reducing its debt by half in 3-4 years and all of it gone at least in 10 years.

 

So, it is better for the economy, or at least that's what Jack Mintz says. If what he says is true then I'm down for it.

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I wouldn't bitch too much. Yeah, it blows, but those taxes go to much more important things, like your healthcare system. I would much prefer paying 15% taxes on everything then having to deal with my $14,000 medical bills from breaking my leg, and my $6,000 from dislocating my shoulders. Not including the hundreds of dollars in medications.

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I wouldn't bitch too much. Yeah, it blows, but those taxes go to much more important things, like your healthcare system. I would much prefer paying 15% taxes on everything then having to deal with my $14,000 medical bills from breaking my leg, and my $6,000 from dislocating my shoulders. Not including the hundreds of dollars in medications.

 

:whs

 

is the reason why everyone MUST have a health insurance here, so you get charged already before you even recieve you paycheck(unless ur havin a private one).

If some1 has no job, pays the state.

Also almost everyone has a "private liability umbrella insurance" ....i think that's how you call it ^^

 

Basicaly the same just not for your own body, but the property of other people. If you happen to do something stupid, like destroy a friends tv or whatever by accident, they pay it.

 

People in the USA and Canada can choose if they want or not if i remeber right. That can seriously destroy lives ^^

It's rare, but imagin you cause a massive car accident on a big crossroad, because you just go unconscious for whatever reason. Your might be sooo scrwed with a million debt, and hf working all your lifetime to pay that off.

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20% next year..

 

I dont get the tax situation in the US, or Canada. All prices are quoted without tax? And then what is taxed what?

 

In the US tax varies state by state, county by county, etc. There is no set % for tax that all locales follow. Its chosen to represent the cost of living where ever you happen to be. Unless you live on a military base and you buy from the stores on that said military base.

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So, it is better for the economy, or at least that's what Jack Mintz says. If what he says is true then I'm down for it.

 

Admittedly I'm fairly ignorant on the matter BUT what you're talking about really could go either way. Plus, we can't just ignore the short term for the long term. While it may be end up being better for us in the end it's going to hurt a lot of people right now.

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Admittedly I'm fairly ignorant on the matter BUT what you're talking about really could go either way. Plus, we can't just ignore the short term for the long term. While it may be end up being better for us in the end it's going to hurt a lot of people right now.

 

Possibly, but isn't it kind of selfish to only think presently? I mean, we'll see changes across 10 years. That's not a very long time to ensure a better economy for Canada. I understand some people will feel the increase of taxes but it's worth it in the long run. If I'm not mistaken, and I can't remember where I read it, they're being fair to lower tax brackets by giving them more tax money back or something of that nature. I can't remember what but the lower tax brackets are going to be dealt with differently since they make less. There are flaws but I think everyone will be okay in the end, and, hopefully, a lot better in the next 10 years.

 

P.S. I'm an optimist. :p

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It is good for business as it streamlines alot of things that they have to do, making them more efficient. It will help create jobs and prevent some businesses from going bankrupt.

 

The big difference is that the GST taxed services, while PST did not. The tax increase on services is not imagined, though the fact that most people call it a 12% tax increase on everything is a short sighted and reactionary statement. The HST basically removes all PST exemptions.

 

And as one person said, Taxes are the price you pay to live in a civilized society. The HST will help balance the budget in BC and Ontario, if the government does it right. And since BC has a $40 billion dollar debt, balanced budget is a good thing. We have too much debt in Canada, so like it or not, taxes will have to go up if we want to slay the debt and still maintain things like healthcare.

 

i dont knwo about the groceries thing..it says only "basic groceries" will be exempt from hst.

 

whats basic groceries? water?

 

Basic groceries are almost anything not considered junk. So meat, milk, eggs, vegetables, and so on. The really amusing one is that peanuts are exempt, salt is exempt, salted peanuts are taxed.

 

I'm also wondering if we still get a GST rebate, or will it be an "HST rebate" now? If that were the case, maybe it wouldn't be so hard to accept.

 

Yes, if you look at the actual rebate you get, it says GST/HST rebate, since the Maritime provinces have had them since the early 90's. The amount is the same, since you didn't get a PST rebate, I'm assuming, but the name will change.

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Yes, if you look at the actual rebate you get, it says GST/HST rebate, since the Maritime provinces have had them since the early 90's. The amount is the same, since you didn't get a PST rebate, I'm assuming, but the name will change.

 

Ah, ok, I never noticed that before. Too bad really, I was looking forward to more money back lol.

 

And you gotta chuckle at the salted peanuts thing.

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