Mr. Speaker, let me begin by saying that the embarrassment should be on the provincial governments, which have the jurisdiction, if they so wish, to regulate prices.
The minister, myself and the entire government are aware of the frustration felt by all Canadians concerning gasoline and diesel prices, as well as home heating prices. We are not passing the buck. Let me state from the outset that it was this Liberal government which started the task force to look into this issue, of which the member is well aware.
The Prime Minister, the minister and the entire government have shown great concern on this matter. That is why the minister asked the petroleum industry to meet with him to explain the reasons for the recent fuel increases.
I know that the hon. member is aware that gasoline pricing is under provincial jurisdiction. He knows that very well. There are specific examples in P.E.I., in Quebec and in Ontario where prices have been regulated.
I want to assure the member that from a competition point of view we want to ensure that the prices are determined by market forces. If it is found that there is collusion, the Competition Bureau, as it has in the past, will step in to rectify the situation and take appropriate measures.
Let me point out for the benefit of the member what has happened. For the record, crude oil prices were under $11 per barrel in 1998 and briefly exceeded just over $30 a barrel in February 2000.
Hopefully these will be some of the concerns which will be addressed at the OPEC meeting in March.