Mr. Speaker, I think there is still something to be done.
According to Desjardins, the lack of competition in Quebec's gasoline market can drive prices up for motorists, but this still does not explain the widening gap between prices at the pump and the price of oil.
To quote a few figures, in 2008, the price of a barrel of oil was roughly $140 U.S. At the time, fear of a global shortage had pushed prices up. The same barrel today trades at the much lower price of $107 U.S. or thereabouts. Gas prices, however, keep skyrocketing.
This gap in prices is plain for all to see, yet it remains unexplained. Consumers wonder why prices at the pump keep rising. We cannot understand why they keep rising while the price of a barrel remains relatively steady.
I believe there is cause to establish an ombudsman mandated to more closely oversee the Competition Bureau and the enforcement of its rules. That is what the NDP is calling for.
I would like to hear the member's comments on the issue.