VICTORIA – Even though the deadline has passed to vote in the mail-in HST referendum, the Liberals continue to play games and deceive British Columbians about what will happen if voters choose to scrap the tax, say the New Democrats.

“The federal finance minister said today that based on conversations with B.C. Finance Minister Kevin Falcon, he is satisfied the HST will remain in place until 2015,” said John Horgan, New Democrat house leader.

“For months, Premier Christy Clark and Kevin Falcon have been telling British Columbians it will take between 18 months and two years to be rid of the HST and return to the PST. So who are they trying to fool, the federal government or British Columbians?” asked Horgan.

Flaherty told reporters Wednesday, “I've discussed the issue more than once with the minister of finance of British Columbia and I'm safisfied that British Columbia will honour the terms of the agreement that we have with the province of British Columbia.”

“The gap in the timeframe is almost as big as the gap in the Liberals' credibility,” said Horgan. “If you believe the premier and finance minister, we'll be rid of the HST by the fall of 2013 at the latest, but Ottawa says we're stuck with it for two more years after that.”

Horgan also pointed out the Liberals are continuing to mislead the public on whether they will restore the PST with its previous exemptions. On CKNW radio Wednesday morning, Health Minister Mike de Jong said “If [voters] opt to get rid of the HST and go back to the PST as it existed in '09, then that's what the government's going to do.”

De Jong's comments completely contradict Finance Minister Kevin Falcon's threat to add the PST onto countless items that were previously exempt. Asked in June about restoring exemptions, Falcon said “No, there is no guarantee. I have been very clear about saying that.”

“The problem the Liberals are faced with is that no one trusts anything they say any more,” said Horgan.

“On the contrary, Adrian Dix and the New Democrats are putting together a fully costed platform in case Premier Clark breaks the Liberals' own fixed election date law and throws British Columbians into an early election. With us, you'll know exactly what to expect, before the election, with no surprises like the HST the Liberals foisted on us right after the last election.”