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VICTORIA — With the speculation tax again mired in controversy, some of the week’s harshest criticisms came from the NDP’s partner in power-sharing, Green Leader Andrew Weaver.

A horrible tax. A stupid tax. A hated tax. A dog’s breakfast.

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Weaver trash-talked the tax while the New Democrats fielded complaints about the blanket requirement for homeowners to apply for exemptions or risk being branded and taxed as speculators.

“The NDP can wear this,” the Green leader told Rob Shaw of The Vancouver Sun. “It’s not our tax. We hate this tax … This is a horrible tax.”

As for asking homeowners to apply for the exemption and threatening to tax them as speculators if they fail to do so, Weaver said he tried to alert the government to the potential backlash during last fall’s debate on the enabling legislation.

“I knew this was going to happen,” he said. “I called out the finance minister — what are you going to do when all these little old ladies are going to be writing cheques? Are you going to be depositing them?”