B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell on Monday, Dec. 7, 2009.Geoff Howe /The Canadian Press
Premier Gordon Campbell says his government will follow the letter of the law when it comes to the petition aimed at stopping the harmonized sales tax in B.C.
Mr. Campbell was forced to clarify the government's position on the issue after comments from the Liberal chair of the committee that will decide the fate of the petition.
Terry Lake had suggested the committee could declare the campaign invalid if it found any problems with the wording of the petition.
Facing questioning from the N.D.P. in the legislature Thursday, Mr. Campbell said under the law the committee has only two options on the petition - send it to a vote in the legislature or recommend a referendum.
He says the committee will follow the law and the government will follow the law.
Fight H.S.T organizers say they're just one riding short of collecting all the signatures they need to take the petition to the legislature in their efforts to derail the tax.