Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry. Yesterday the minister indicated that he thought the rising price of oil and gas was strictly a provincial matter, which is an odd point of view given that the Governor of the Bank of Canada thinks it is an issue, as does the Chairman of the Federal Reserve in the United States. Even President Bill Clinton has expressed his concern about it.
Is there a pattern here of not being able to stand up to the oil and gas industry? First the Minister of Foreign Affairs collapses over Sudan and then the Minister of Industry will not take his responsibilities, washing his hands of the problem of rising oil and gas prices.
When will the government express its concern and when will the government take its responsibility and tell the House what it intends to do about rising oil and gas prices?