Thank you, Mr. Chong.
Witnesses, thank you for being here today.
Like you, I had some doubt as to the motives of the legislation given the dearth of evidence that these issues were in fact taking place. That's not to suggest that consumers do not in fact have concerns about whether or not they're receiving the proper amount of fuel that they believe they're paying for.
I want to go to you, Monsieur Montreuil and Mr. Boag, and then to you, Ms. Huzar, as to the underlying concerns that this legislation may give rise to even further complications and does nothing to eradicate that perception.
I agree with you on the title. The title is misleading and I think is somewhat gratuitous. I was concerned that at the press conference the minister referred to retailers by demonizing them as “chisellers”—some of them, anyway—when the evidence may very well point to the fact that issues of impropriety or the perception of a lack of quantity the person believes they're purchasing may be the result of mechanical failure, of wear and tear, which I think is normal in any circumstance.
Mr. Boag and Mr. Montreuil, I'm wondering if you could ascertain from your members if they accept the standard Measurement Canada provides, of 100 millilitres for every 20 litres of fuel, as an acceptable tolerance. I say that because if I'm driving Mr. Van Kesteren's car, which might be fuelled up at 60 litres of fuel, it means that under the current tolerance levels a consumer may lose one-third of a litre of gasoline. At a dollar a litre, that's 30¢ to 40¢ a litre. I think that would continue to maintain the cynicism that the public correctly has.
Mr. Boag, do your members accept the 100-millilitre tolerance level? Or do they believe or do they operate on a lower tolerance level, both at the gas stations and the refineries?