Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the Conference Board of Canada will be conducting an independent inquiry into gas prices.
I favour tax reductions on gasoline, diesel and fuel oil but fear that without price regulation the oil companies will simply suck up the tax breaks as profit. I urge the federal government to encourage all provinces to regulate gas prices in such a way that tax reductions will flow directly to the consumer.
I also urge that GST rebates for fuel to all commercial users be flowed particularly promptly this year. Further, I urge the government to intervene where gas prices are causing clear hardship to commercial drivers, such as rural mail couriers, who are tied to long contracts signed before gas prices increased.
Meanwhile, let us continue to press OPEC to increase oil output and bring down the price of gas in Canada.