Mr. Speaker, it is easy for the Bloc to play armchair critic when it has no hope of forming the government. To suggest that the federal government get into the game of price regulation at all is just plain wrong.
The hon. member once suggested that his province was somehow held hostage and a victim of high gas prices. The party opposite really needs to question its role in the chamber. We have to look at the big picture on the supply side.
North American refinery production right now is temporarily limited by routine maintenance, much of which was delayed last year in the wake of hurricane Katrina. We are seeing temporary closures as many refineries install new equipment to meet new sulphur content regulations for diesel. As well, distribution systems are being adapted for the use of two new products this summer. In addition to the introduction of lower sulphur diesel fuel in the U.S. and Canada, the U.S. is also phasing out the use of much of the gasoline additive MTBE from many markets.
In both cases distribution systems have to be drained of the old product before it can be replaced by the new product. It is inevitable that there will be reduced inventory levels and potential supply shortages during this transition.