moved for leave to introduce Bill C-452, An Act to amend the Competition Act (inquiry into industry sector).
Mr. Speaker, I am here in the House today to respond to my fellow citizens' concerns about an issue that makes voters in my riding angry year after year.
Our role as members of Parliament is to listen to people. Many people in my riding have contacted me by phone, by email or during my many encounters with voters in my riding and across Quebec. I listened to what people had to say, and I decided to take action.
I decided to take action because of the shameless price-gouging by the big oil companies that affects us all.
Quebeckers recently found out that a large group of retailers was conspiring to fix gas prices on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. The investigation was conducted in response to complaints submitted to the Competition Tribunal.
Across Quebec, people found it highly suspicious that the price of gas at every retailer fluctuated in such a coordinated fashion just before long weekends and summer holidays.
Last week, CAA confirmed that gasoline retailers have a huge profit margin.
All this time, people have been held hostage. The bill I am introducing today will give the Competition Bureau true investigative powers.
Once my bill has made it through the approval process in the House, the Competition Bureau will be able to undertake its own investigations and hit oil companies where it counts, in their pockets.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)