Can Ottawa do anything to drop the price of gas?
Posted May 15, 2011 01:28:32 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA (NEWS1130) – This week Federal Industry Minister Tony Clement invited oil and gas companies to appear before a Commons committee to answer questions about volatile gas prices.
But will it work?
SFU marketing professor Lindsay Meredith says we’ve been down this road before with Ottawa threatening to take action, but each time with limited results.
“You’re trying to investigate all companies on price fixing and that’s a criminal charge. This is proving guilty beyond the shadow of a doubt, it’s very, very tough stuff to do. Any convictions on this subject in the past? Not a one.”
He adds the focus should be on answering consumers, who want to know why they’re paying so much to fill up. “The minute they see the other guy move his price they get called into what’s called ‘The War Room.’ The room is what each oil company operates and that’s where they very quickly tell other stations to match whatever prices structures are out there.”
The NDP wants the government to set up an Ombudsman’s Office to investigate high gas prices.
