Rather than explaining the tax better all
over the
province, correcting Vander Zalm's math, reducing it to 10 per cent right away, or reminding younger voters that Vander Zalm was the author of the property purchase tax that added thousands of dollars to the purchase price of their homes, the government lost control of the message and distanced itself from the debate as if the HST were an alcoholic uncle that no - one wanted to acknowledge because he was drunk at family
gatherings.