Editor, The News:
Once again it appears that Canadians are getting gouged and there seems to be nothing we can do about it.
The price of gasoline at the pump was back up to $1.14.9 per litre in Maple Ridge (Feb. 10).
The price of March Brent crude on the world markets stood at $52.86 per barrel.
Back in mid-January, when the world price of crude was $48 per barrel, a little over $4 a barrel cheaper, our gasoline at the pumps was $0.99.9 per litre.
We are now paying 15 per cent more for our gas, yet the big oil companies are paying less than 10 per cent more for their raw oil.
One would think that fact would be reflected at the pump but, no, not in Canada.
Where is the competition bureau? Why no investigation into the fact all of the big oil companies are all charging the same price at the pump when there should be competition for gasoline sales?
The fact is, pump prices, peak oil, the oil shortages of the 1970s were all illusions to get us to be afraid that we are running out of oil, and the turmoil in the Middle East would drive up the price of oil on the world market.
The Middle East is in worse shape now then ever.
We are being gouged and it would appear our Canadian government has no inclination to take a serious look at the manner these companies are treating the Canadian consumer.
Mike Boileau
Maple Ridge