Mr. Speaker, two and a half years ago I informed Parliament that the most common complaint I was hearing from farmers in my riding was that they were fed up with the high price of fuel. Imagine what they are seeing today.
Liberals are telling Canadians that they will not lower taxes because high taxes are helping municipalities and the provinces. This is false. Funding for infrastructure in our communities will only amount to 5¢ a litre and not until 2010. This is a far cry from the 40¢ a litre every Canadian is paying in gasoline taxes today.
Many grain producers at this time of year are paying at least $400 a day for fuel. That is well over $100 a day in taxes alone. In 1969 gas was about 6¢ a litre and farmers were getting about $1.40 a bushel for their wheat. Today gas prices are 12 times higher, yet wheat prices are barely twice as much. It is obvious that something has to change.
Is it not sad that the finance minister, who lives in Saskatchewan, will not lower gas taxes?