To Tax or Not to Tax-That Is the Question

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Aug. 8, 2012) - Be it resolved that the British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI) and Boughton Law Corporation's Great Debate will be an evening of hilarity, camaraderie, stunning rhetoric and taxing puns.

The fifth annual Great Debate to be held on Thursday, October 25, 2012 at the Pan Pacific Centre will argue that the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) should be retained, not eliminated. Arguing for the resolution are Tony Wilson, Boughton, and Emily Clough, Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang. Against are Michael Bain, Hamilton Howell Bain & Gould, and James Tate, Ratcliff & Company. The evening, to be hosted by CBC Radio One's Rick Cluff, promises to be a fun, engaging evening of dinner and lighthearted debate. Held annually since 2008, the Great Debate pits some of the city's best comic legal debaters in a classic legal - but mostly humorous - debate on substantive legal issues in a fiscal, not fistic, oratorical fight to the finish.

Tony Wilson jabs, "I never met a-ttacks I didn't like."

"Listening to Tony Wilson for six minutes is taxing enough much less adding another 12%," appeals Michael Bain.

"It's the most fun you can have earning one CPD credit," said Sylvester "Sly" Taxman.

Tickets for the "Ayes" are $129.46 + $15.54 HST for individual tickets or, for a table of eight, $982.14 + $117.86 HST.

Tickets for the "Nays" are $145 per person, or, tables of eight can be purchased for $1,100.

As in other years, this event is sure to sell out. To ensure your reservation, please contact Elizabeth Pinsent at the British Columbia Law Institute for tickets (epinsent@bcli.org or 604-822-0142).

"When it comes to HST, everyone has an opinion. Not us, of course. We are non-partisan," quips Jim Emmerton, Executive Director of the BCLI.

The British Columbia Law Institute is a not-for-profit law reform agency that works to improve and modernize the law in British Columbia. It was created in January 1997 by incorporation under the Provincial Society Act. BCLI carries out scholarly research, writing and analysis for law reform, collaborating with government and other entities and providing materials and support for outreach and public information. BCLI is the effective successor of the British Columbia Law Reform Commission.

Boughton Law Corporation is a full service Vancouver law firm located in Vancouver. Carrying on business as Boughton, our predecessor law partnership was founded in 1949. Boughton strives to deliver the highest quality legal work and service to its clients; to be accessible, efficient and responsive; to find practical and effective solutions; to communicate clearly; and to conduct ourselves with honesty and integrity. Boughton is an independently owned Vancouver law firm, but is part of an international network of law firms called MERITAS.