Vancouver Island ridings lead HST recall drive

Organizers of B.C.'s anti-HST campaign say they've already signed up 1,500 canvassers across the province as they prepare to launch their recall campaigns against some B.C. Liberal MLAs.

Bill Vander Zalm and Chris Delaney put out the call last month for volunteers to help them collect signatures in an effort to recall some Liberal MLAs. The organizers of the popular anti-HST petition promised that on Jan. 1, they will launch recall campaigns in the three ridings where they sign up the most volunteers.

Since then, hundreds of people have responded, particularly on Vancouver Island where three ridings are in the top four of the recruitment drive.

In order to recall an MLA, the volunteers will need to collect verifiable signatures from 40 per cent of the voters in the riding within 60 days of the launch of the campaign.

Oak Bay-Gordon Head leads recruitment drive

The riding with the most volunteers signed up already is Oak Bay-Gordon Head, with more than 150, according to lead organizer Colin Nielson, who is gearing up to lead the recall campaign against local MLA Ida Chong.

"We'll put the most effective campaign on the ground for two months and try and give everyone who has the right to sign the opportunity. If they take it, fine. If they don't, fine. To me that's democracy," said Nielson.

But Chong, who is the minister for healthy living and sport, said people know she works hard to address their concerns, and she believes she still has the support of the voters in her riding.

"They know I work hard. They know I'm in my riding. They know I'm listening to their concerns," she said.

But Chong said if voters are upset about the HST, they'll have their say next September when the premier has promised to hold a binding referendum on the controversial sales tax.

The B.C. Liberal government launched the 12 per cent HST in July.