My predictions and we'll double check at least the first one in a year I gues:
1) PST will go into place and prices WON'T drop because most retailers are going to trick consumers using quick scaled price adjustment. AKA increase your prices by 10% due to requiring to switch back to PST (extra costs of course) then lowering them after by 7%.
People think the price reduction is a result of the PST and their fears of the HST were confirmed but because they forgot 5 minutes ago what the original prices were, they don't clue into the fact the new prices are actually +3% higher than when the HST was in place.
They also don't realize that the original HST "cost" was higher than with the PST so they really haven't gotten anywhere except a quick double price increase due to the tax confusion.
It's going to happen, you can bet on it.
2) HST will be back within a decade. It will be tweaked and adjusted, but it will make its way back. The world is and has been moving to the HST style tax system and Canada will eventually force it down our throats much like the accounting changes that were over the past several years forced through to have us confirm to international standards.
It will happen. If it doesn't in 10 years, I'd change this prediction to be "BC will be bankrupt in 10 years." It's basically 1 or the other in my opinion.
And these 2 predictions are of course my opinions.
So if you disagree completely, you're entitled. We'll see about #1 in a year though.
I hope I'm wrong. I just have very little faith in our business sector these days.