The Vancouver Chinese community sent a clear message to Gordon Campbell's Liberal government Saturday -- they will not stand for HST.
The controversial Harmonized Sales Tax has been the subject of severe criticism since being announced on July 23.
Multicultural broadcaster Fairchild Radio is hosting an online poll on the HST, and more than 99 per cent of the thousands polled have shunned the tax. Some even said they had considered leaving Canada.
On Saturday, Farichild hosted a public forum on the tax at the Aberdeen Centre in Richmond - where the HST received a similarly unenthusiastic response.
"With this economic hardship and hard times, they can't understand another tax increase," Fairchild reporter Catherine Chung said Saturday.
The tax has been a dream come true for the NDP, who have been canvassing local neighbourhoods.
"People came up and actually said to us, they were very frank, they said you know what, we voted for the Liberals, and they regret it," NDP economic development critic Jenny Kwan said.
The government maintains that HST will bolster the economy in the long run, and make goods cheaper to buy.
"I don't believe it," Kwan said. "I think it's a lie and I don't think the prices are going to come down."
The NDP says 30,000 people have signed its online petition -- and the NO-HST Facebook group currently counts more than 80,000 members.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's St. John Alexander
