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LA DEUXIÈME TOURNÉE "CHOC À LA POMPE " : Attendant toujours que les libéraux tiennent leur promesse
Gilles Bisson has re-introduced his Keep Your Promises at the Pump Private Members Bill. The bill calls on the Government to freeze gasoline prices for 90 days when they hit a certain level.
“Many Liberals were very vocal while in opposition calling on the then conservative government to deal with high gas prices. But now in Government, they do nothing.”
- Northern development Minister Rick Bartolucci frequently demanded 90-day gas price freezes to protect motorists.
- Liberal MPP Bruce Crozier called on gas retailers to advertise price increases 72 hours in advance. Gas retailers can still jack up prices whenever they want as high as they want.
- Liberal MPPs Michael Gravelle and Mike Colle called for a Gas Price Watchdog to protect drivers from unfair pricing practices. There is still no one to protect motorists.
Bisson says he’s just doing what the Liberals wanted done, when in opposition. “They talked a big game when on the other side of the House. I thought they had some good ideas so I introduced this Bill. Were the Liberals were just blowing exhaust?”
Bisson says his Bill mirrors those of Liberal members. “You would think that this Bill would get speedy passage since it does what the Liberals wanted done in the first place. Failure to pass it tells me that they were grandstanding for votes and willing to say anything.”
Last year, Bisson toured the province with his Pump Shock tour.
Comments
It won't work
Posted by: Ben, Edmonton
Will you also try to regulate the wholesale price, which is set by in North American market? How about the crude price, which is set on the world market? Because otherwise, freezing prices at the pump is pointless, because their costs will continue to fluctuate.
I read in the media that you want to follow PEI's model -- a province with (possibly) the highest gas prices in the country?!?! At least when retail gas prices fluctuate, consumers have the opportunity to watch the pattern of price movements, and therefore plan their purchases to occur during times when prices are low. But with the PEI model, consumers have to pay a relatively high price all the time, and therefore spend MORE money over time.
Since you are from Northern Ontario, here is a rough breakdown of a retail gas price using the Thunder Bay rack price for today (July 11, 2006): Rack price (source: Imperial Oil): 77.1 cpl, Ontario provincial tax: 14.7 cpl, federal tax: 10 cpl, GST: 6% on the entire amount, INCLUDING the flat taxes. Total before profit margin: 107.9 cpl. Once a retail profit margin is added, GST is then added to that margin, as well. Now, according to OntarioGasPrices.com, prices in Thunder Bay are 113.4, so the profit margin is actually less than 5.5 cpl (since part of that 5.5 cpl is GST). This profit margin will be reduced further when you take into account station-specific costs such as wages and overhead. So tell me now -- is a price of 113.4 really unwarranted?
A final example for why this won't work: read the news from New Brunswick, where retailers have shut down their pumps to protest fixed prices.
Thank-you.
Regulation of gas prices will cause more harm than good
Posted by: G, formerly of Timmins
As well-intentioned it is to provide relief to consumers, the freezing of gasoline prices will cause gas stations to stop selling gas or just plain ignore the law and sell it at the price that is profitable for them. Gas stations barely make 2 percent profit margin on the sale of gasoline and they operate in a highly competitive market.
If we are to be serious about energy conservation, people have to realize they need to pay more for gas--not less. Petroleum is a precious and diminishing resource, and as the population increases, it creates increased demands for it.
Perhaps Canada should follow the model of France to allow the full potential of nuclear energy to be realized.
Transportation and freight management
Posted by: James, Hearst
I believe the freight shipping should be done by the railways, not by trucking.... Trucking uses 3 times more fuel than the same amount of freight trains use.... Trucking also costs the mto 9 billion a year, it also causes much more deaths to motorists, and it is bad on the environment.... I have been wanting to government to do more funding to simply improve our railways rather than highway expansions.... Renewing the railways is one of my beliefs in environmental and political issues.... I would like to help push for rail movement. Since the 1960s, thousands of miles of abandonments and ripping occured in our railways across the nation. This resulted to more trucking causing more traffic congestion and also a threat to motorists.... I live in a rural community in northern Ontario on the highway 11 corridor and you have no idea how many trucks go by there.... It is especially dangerous on 2 lane highways to have that many trucks passing by.... Hopefully you can help resolve this issue.
People will buy gas no matter the price
Posted by: L, Timmins
It's too bad but we can get upset over the gas prices all we want but really the gas companies have us all by the throat and there's little we can do.
We've all heard of various methods people have come out with that have all failed (buy your gas only on certain days, buy your gas only at certain places, take pics and put it in the gas hall of shame) None of these will work unfortunately. As long as the demands remains high, which it is because we rely on gas so much in our everyday lives, the consumers will continue to pay and gas companies know this. This is why the prices go up every long weekend, people are tired from their day to day jobs and want to go elsewere to relax and would pay $2.00 per litre to "get away". Trying to get millions of Ontarians to get together and fight this is quite the task. Isn't that why we elect officials to do this job for us? But yet, we get it thrown back in our laps saying "we have to do this and that". As a person elected to represent Ontarians our Premier should be looking into these matters and protecting us from these issues. I guess he hasn't done what he's been elected to do.
Posted by: Dave, Moonbeam
There is no justification that will buy for the difference in price to S Ont being what is . The extra travel to deliver a load north is perhaps $.05 / litre . Add a bit for extra labour at stations & maybe we should see $.08 / litre.
Time to consider a co-op?
Posted by: Luke, Toronto
You cannot be both for the environment and for lower gas prices. Cheap gas encourages people to waste it and drive SUVs, more often.
I remember last summer, when gas was the most expensive, we saw much more people on bikes and on public transit. It was the best thing to happen to the environment in 30 years!
WAR ON GAS PRICES " WERE MAD AS HELL AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Heidi, Montreal
LISTEN UP EVERYBODY THIS IS THE PLAN!!! Esso and Shell are the biggest companies, therefore, you must boycott from buying gas at these two companies. When they start feeling the pressure from the public they will reduce their prices and then every other gas station will gollow. Find out the head offices in your area, phone numbers, faxes of these companies and bombard them with continuel faxing, e-mailing, and send letters.Let us organize a Mass Demonstration across Canada. I am from Montreal and we are working on this. Call all the transport companies and any other businesses to join you for the demonstration. Make your voice heard by standing together and using the motto "DECALARING WAR ON GAS PRICES. WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE" Make sure the TV Station and radio station are involved in your area and the newpapers. Send out a press release. Esso - President/CEO Mr. Bruce March, Fifth Ave Place, 237 4th Ave., S.W. Calgary, Alberta - T2P 3M9 Fax 1-866-751-5441. Shell - President Mr. Dave Collyer, P.O. Box 100, Station M, Calgary, Albert T2P 2H5 1-800-661-1600. Don't give up as you will run into alot of negative people. There are doers and just the talkers. Talkers meaning negativity. You goal is to reach all the angry people like yourselves and form a group, have you meeting, set you goal, and go out there and let your voices be heard.
Heidi Nagy
heidinagy@sympatico.ca
Social Impact of the Gas Mania
Posted by: Ashraf, Mississauga
1- Canada's social disparity is approaching a third world figures according to Government funded studies.
2- A lot of families are cutting food to fill gas, just to drive to work and pay taxes
3- While the gas prices are soaring high, the Hammer sales hit 200% higher. (Somebody does not care)
4- The poor taxation system is obsolete and only suites the sixties.
5- The rich still denying that the poverty of the poor tax payers, the corrupt systems and the weak government, all made them rich.
6- The taxes on the gas should be eliminated because people cannot drive to work. This is not a luxury!
7- For the poor, when the food does not matter, nothing else will.
8- “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot protect the few who are rich” U.S.President John Kennedy