Mr. Speaker, it is a double honour that the former leader of the Reform Party is asking the question. I am glad to see him in his place. One of the first times I had an opportunity to debate in the House was with him. We are coming full circle. I also hope it is a new beginning for both of us.
The hon. member knows full well that this was a big issue. He has had many days to argue this. He has had many opposition days to bring this issue forward. The reality is his party is only bringing it up today because of the high prices.
The context in which he is issuing the edict on the question of taxes confuses Canadians. Canadians are not fooled. Most of them know that taxes do not go up on long weekends but prices do. The hon. member is obviously and skilfully avoiding that. I can assure the hon. member I have had that question put to me many times on the national media. The hon. member knows my answer to that so I must wonder why the question was asked in the first place.
I am going to take the hon. member at his word. I think he believes quite frankly that anyone who questions the oil industry must be categorized as an ideologue. I come from a hardworking community of consumers. The hon. member was in my riding several times before I won it back with an even bigger majority than last time on the issue of gasoline. In our neck of the woods in Toronto we are facing 78 cents a litre gasoline. That is higher than what we see across the country.
I might be able to enlighten the hon. member that all of this began in 1992 while he was on the campaign trail. In fact the now very famous document, Bloomberg Oil Buyer's Guide, pointed out that the independent gasoline sector was going to be the target of the oil companies and that there was going to be a disciplining by the major oil companies targeted at the profits of the independents which were too good for their own good.
I am asking for one thing. Let retail mom and pop efficient competitors compete against their own supplier and not be outdone by weak laws and irrelevant comments and questions like the one I just received from the hon. former leader.