R. John Efford

[Gasoline Prices, May 5th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, let me tell the hon. member, the leader of the Bloc, exactly what has been happening in Newfoundland and Labrador for the last 10 years. We pay 89¢ a litre. That is the cheapest gas one can buy in Newfoundland and Labrador. There has been a pricing commissioner in Newfoundland and Labrador for the last five years. It has made absolutely no difference.

The Prime Minister is exactly right. If there is a problem, the Competition Bureau will deal with it. There is no way an individual can go out there and control the price of gasoline across the country.

[Forest Industry, April 30th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, only hon. members like the hon. member opposite would make a statement like that and believe that something could happen.

This government is not playing politics with anybody, in particular the people of British Columbia. This minister is not playing politics with anybody in this country, unlike the members opposite who continually stand day after day and play politics and make all kinds of accusations that they know are not true.

[Forest Industry, April 30th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe what the hon. member just said in the House. It is one thing to ask a question but to make a statement that this government has the attitude toward the people of British Columbia as he just said is absolutely wrong. His question does not even deserve an answer.

We are as equally concerned. My department in forestry and research and development is just as interested in solving the problem with the pine beetle in British Columbia as the hon. member is. I have had meetings with the minister in British Columbia and we intend to work toward finding a solution to a very serious problem.

[Government Contracts, April 28th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member were serious in seeking the answer to the question, he would have come to me and I would have given him the answer directly.

Any time there is a subcontract given out by government, it does not show up on the website of the hon. Minister of Public Works. A subcontract does not show up. There is nothing being hidden. Ask me the question and I will give the answer.

[Oil Industry, April 26th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, it is not accurate for the hon. member opposite to say that we want to protect the big oil companies.

In Newfoundland and Labrador three years ago there was a monitoring agency set up to monitor gasoline prices. Today in Newfoundland and Labrador the cheapest gas we can buy is 89.9¢ per litre. That is with an agency set up.

If there are unfair practices with oil pricing or any other pricing structure in Canada, the hon. member should go to the Competition Bureau and lodge a complaint.

[Oil Industry, April 26th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know what it takes to get through to the hon. members opposite on this issue. I have said it time and time again, and the answer will not be any different than the answer I gave last week. We have not made any decision on setting up a monitoring agency for gasoline prices.

In Quebec, P.E.I., and Newfoundland and Labrador, it is presently set up by the provinces. It will not work the way the hon. member says it will work.

[Ethanol Industry, April 22nd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has been a long time supporter of innovative environmental technologies, such as clean-burning fuel.

In February the Government of Canada allocated $78 million to seven new ethanol plants across the country as round one with more to come in the near future.

Also, the Government of Canada reaffirmed its long time support to environmental technologies by announcing in budget 2004 a full $1 billion in additional funding for this area. Shell Oil's ethanol was named as one potential area of investment for this new program.

[Power System Outage Task Force, April 19th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I am pleased to table, in both official languages, the final report of the Canada-U.S. power system outage task force on the August 14, 2003 blackout in Canada and the United States.

[The Environment, March 30th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, first, the automobile industry and government recognize that considerable work needs to be done to improve fuel efficiency. In the case of Europe, it has a volunteer agreement with the auto industry. In the case of Australia, it has signed an agreement with the auto industry. At present, we are working voluntarily with the auto industry to accomplish fuel efficiency in vehicles.

What we should do first is recognize what its has accomplished to date. I congratulate it and look forward to working with it to accomplish our goals in the future.

[Gasoline Prices, March 25th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I answered that question in the House yesterday. The hon. member knows quite well our position on the question he is asking. We have stated very clearly before that free enterprise takes care of itself, that the provinces themselves, in two cases in eastern Canada, try to regulate the gasoline industry. We are considering it and we will announce our decision at the right time in the future.