PST Tax Holiday in February?

In today's The Province - political columnist Mike Smyth looks at a proposal by BC Conservative Party Leader candidate Rick Peterson to have a two week PST tax holiday to boost the provincial economy.

Mr. Peterson says that this idea works well in several US States.  View the column here

Meanwhile - Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett calls Mr. Peterson's proposal as a 'false gimmick' and wonders what expenditures would Mr. Peterson and his BC Conservatives, were they government today, give up to pay for this -- health care, transportation, social services, etc? - Read more here

For myself - I understand that part of this idea could deal with BC Communities that border Alberta like Dawson Creek and keep dollars at home, rather than see those same dollars in Alberta.  But I don't see a clearly defined benefit that a 'tax holiday' would bring to BC's economy.  Or in other words, little benefit and a loss of tax dollars totalling $222 million, at a time when the provincial government can't afford to go on a 'wild goose chase' when we know health care costs, given demographics of society, will force governments in Canada to budget for higher health care costs in the years to come.  Meanwhile - I agree with MLA Barnett, the answer to revenue growth is growth in resource development projects like New Prosperity/LNG and not temporary tax holidays...

~SF