The B.C. government will use its 14-seat majority in the legislature to ensure its controversial harmonized sales tax legislation takes effect on July 1, says Finance Minister Colin Hansen.
He said Monday that a new law to bring in the HST will be introduced this week.
But the Opposition New Democrats and grassroots organizations, including one led by former premier Bill Vander Zalm, are vowing to fight the proposed tax legislation.
Vander Zalm is leading a move to repeal the HST by attempting to collect the signatures of one-tenth of registered B.C. voters in every riding, within 90 days, starting next month.
The HST merges the current seven-per-cent provincial sales tax with the five-per-cent federal Goods and Services Tax, making most products in the province subject to a 12-per-cent tax on July 1.
British Columbia is poised to join Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador in introducing the HST.
Ontario voted in favour of the tax last December after the federal government offered the province $4.3 billion to buffer the blow of the HST transition.
Ottawa offered the B.C. government $1.6 billion to move to the HST, and the province has already used $750 million to offset its deficit budget.
Hansen said the HST is the most important move the province can make to get itself out of the recession.
The HST will save business an estimated $2 billion in costs, resulting in more investment, more jobs and lower prices, he said.
NDP Leader Carole James, holding a 4,000-name petition, said opposition to the HST crosses party lines.
British Columbians fear the tax will result in higher prices and lost jobs, she said.
"The anger is growing, not going away," she said. "I think the government expects people will forget. But this is a critical issue for British Columbians."
James said the NDP wants seven Liberals to vote against their own government to defeat the HST law.
There are currently 49 Liberals, 35 New Democrats and one Independent in the legislature.
So far, no Liberals have indicated they will break ranks and vote against their own party.
James admitted it will be difficult convincing Liberals to switch sides on the law, but the NDP plans to target rookie MLAs and Liberals who won their seats last May by tight margins.
One Liberal being considered by the NDP is Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett, who won by 88 votes after a recount.
"They want Donna to not support (Premier) Gordon Campbell," said Larry Day, a Cariboo NDP constituency association vice-president who handed James a local anti-HST petition.
"I hope she has the guts to do that," he said.
James said the NDP will consider various political manoeuvres to fight the HST law in the legislature.
"We will have to take a look at the legislation first and then we'll have to find out what opportunities there are for amendments, for taking the (legislative) sitting as long as we can," she said.
In Ontario, two provincial Conservatives were suspended last year after staging an occupation in the legislature.
Ottawa easily passed legislation last December to enable provinces to harmonize their provincial tax with the GST.
The Conservatives, Liberals and Bloc Quebecois supported the federal HST law, but the NDP voted against it.
