The politics of gas prices

Dear Editor: We heard about the actual price we are receiving for our crude, about $18 a barrel, somewhat less than Texas crude around $50 a barrel, and we were told the price would likely drop in the next few days.

The price we receive is from the U.S., because they are our only buyer, and we can’t get our crude to the east and west coast, because of political barriers, constructed by the NDP/Greens, in British Columbia, and the NIMBY Liberals in Quebec.

Last December, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver told a New Brunswick audience Canada was losing “$50 million every single day —$18 to $19 billion every year.” (Financial Post)

How much longer can Canada continue to pay higher costs, including proposed carbon tax hikes while ignoring cash flow opportunities of $18-$19 billion a year, and continue with muchneeded social programs.

The only resource left to our political leaders is collecting more and more tax, to further reduce the ranks of the middle class to levels of working poor.

Gas in Belleville, Ont. is selling today for 98 cents a litre, so while the United States is paying for gas at the rate of $18 a barrel from Canada, Western Canadians are paying the world price, plus added taxes.

If you think that after buying the Transmountain Pipeline for $4.5 billion, and expected to reach $10 billion, followed by Alberta’s proposed plan to buy trains and cars, which are a real environmental threat, at a cost of $350 million is a good use of taxpayers’ money, it may be time to refresh your math app. Chuck Liebrock Kelowna