The ThunderBlogs

The Fraser Street Market extends from 41^st Avenue to 51^st Avenue along the Fraser Street. No matter whether it’s a weekday or weekend, the market looks equally vibrant. Most, but not exclusively, the shopkeepers and customers here are Asian immigrants.

On a September Saturday evening, the market was busy as usual. Most of the shops were open as only a few were closed for the weekend. The shoppers, customers and workers were engaged in their own tasks. The Punjabi Market that extends from 48^th Avenue to 51^st Avenue on the Main Street was, however, not as busy as the Fraser Market in terms of people’s presence.

With no immediate end in sight to the controversy surrounding the HST in British Columbia, merchants on Fraser Street and Main Street said the HST had no immediate impact on businesses but it would harm the economy if the uncertainty prevailed.

Many shopkeepers were busy handling their customers and they would not talk to you if they knew that you were there not to purchase goods/services.

But there were also people who were willing to talk. Dinesh Sharma who owns a grocery said HST has no impact to his business. He said it could have affected big property dealings as the uncertainty over the tax hangs but there was no impact on existing businesses.

Naresh Shukla, a businessman since 1974 at the Punjabi Market, said HST had no negative impact on existing businesses. But he is not happy with the way the B.C. government handled the issue.

He said HST was not in the agendas of Premier Gordon Campbell before the 2009 elections. “They think citizens are idiots, and announced the tax immediately after winning the elections.”

With referendum called next September on HST, the uncertainty over the controversial tax is here to stay. Shukla said this uncertainty will slacken the economy as people won’t spend money until the controversy ends.

“Had the government had guts, it should have called referendum on the issue within three months,” Shukla said.

Another businessman Madan Dhingri also said HST has made no much difference to existing businesses. On the fate of HST, Dhingri is confident that people will reject it in referendum. “If any tax is taken to people for decision, it will fail. Period,” he said.

Dhingri said the Liberal party utterly failed in handling the HST issue and calling referendum a year later has created uncertainties and kept things in limbo for a year. “This (referendum) is a waste of money. Premier Campbell is trying to buy time. But he is done. He will never win how hard he may try.”