Mr. Speaker, on the government side we try to find solutions, of course. Whether we are talking about your regions or ours, in the end, those affected by the constant increase in oil prices are ourselves and our fellow citizens.
The hon. member proposed a solution or an option. No doubt that all options must be evaluated, but one must also examine the underlying factors. The tax issue has been raised. We just heard a suggestion for a tax credit.
A tax credit is obviously an interesting idea. However, we are in September and the taxpayer who files his or her income tax return in March will not get a penny before April. In fact, other tragic situations could happen before then.
No matter how we proceed, we must make sure that the measure we choose does not benefit only a small group or does not contribute to helping the oil companies maintain what I would call excessive profit margins.
Sure, we must help our fellow citizens, but we must take care not to allow an industry to get richer on the backs of the have-nots in the process. We must continue to work to find solutions, but they must be long-term solutions to make sure that our fellow citizens, the men and women of Canada, can face the challenge successfully and with meaningful solutions.