Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for coming to testify this afternoon.
I am the member for the constituency of Chicoutimi—Le Fjord in the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region. We get a tax rebate. The Quebec government levies a tax of about 15 cents per litre. In my region, the tax is 10 cents per litre. Until 2003, we were never able to see this reduction because the fluctuations in the price of oil meant that the price was the same in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean as it was everywhere else. However, a movement started in our region called the coalition on gas prices. Companies were boycotted in turn with the result that the 5-cent reduction can now be seen. In other words, there is a difference of 5 cents per litre in the price of gas in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and the price in Montreal or in Quebec City.
Here is how we explain that difference. When people put pressure on a company, things start to happen. The pressure in our region gave us back the 5 cents per litre reduction granted to outlying areas to recognize transportation costs. When consumers put pressure on a company and object to price increases, it has an effect.
So, do you see it the same way?