B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell took another step to better connect with British Columbians on the issue of the HST on Tuesday with the creation of a new “hub” that will develop and distribute information about the government’s case for the controversial tax.
Campbell will also plead his case to British Columbians in a televised speech scheduled for Wednesday evening.
A government spokesperson said the new hub, which is being launched November 1, is not a physical space for citizens to visit, although he said the government has designated new office space for the project.
British Columbians can expect the government to have an enhanced online presence as it attempts to convince citizens of the HST’s merits, he said.
The Ministry of Finance said in a release, “The centre has been created to help British Columbians access information about the HST so that they can have a meaningful dialogue and debate in the lead-up to the 2011 referendum.”
Tom Syer is leading the office. He is the former director of policy and regulatory affairs at Vancouver-based run-of-river and wind energy developer Plutonic Power.