May 17, 2004: Harper proposes GST break on high gas prices

[tuvor]

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper promised he would provide relief for motorists by eliminating the GST on gas costing more than 85 cents a litre.

"These are revenues that no one foresaw even a few months ago. We are only depriving Ottawa of a massive windfall it didn't count on and that it doesn't need," Harper said, adding that consumers would save about a penny a litre.

"The main thing is that Canadians know the government is not trying to gouge them at the same time they are having trouble filling their tank," he said. "We want to do what we can to bring taxes down."

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/05/17/harper_gst040517.html



April 27, 2008: Government ignores opposition call for action on rising oil prices, profits

OTTAWA — The federal government is ignoring opposition demands that it do something about soaring oil and gasoline prices and profits.

NDP Leader Jack Layton wants an end to tax breaks for petroleum companies, but Prime Minister Stephen Harper has rejected the approach. Layton accuses the government of dragging its feet as prices soar. Harper says the opposition's only solution is to raise taxes and he's not going to do that.

He says his government has cut the GST and reduced the tax burden for ordinary Canadians.

The opposition is angry that Petro-Canada is reporting a first-quarter profit of $1.1 billion, up from $590 million a year ago.

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iGVsM8osf_VB4FBnaKzp6hJiiPZQ

[Caradoc]

1. 3-steps to lower prices

Fighting big oil comes down to what you say and not what you do. The opposition should demand hearings into the following:

1. Declaring oil production and fuel supply a matter of the highest national security and begin discussions on at what point it should be nationalized in the country's best interest.

2. Request 'Observer Status' at OPEC. Name an ambassador for the position.

3. Set a price threshold where, if prices stay above a certain set amount for a set time, subsidies are eliminated and new corporate taxes are imposed with those revenues going directly to the development of alternative (non-biofuel) fuel projects.

If people just demanded this of their governments, the puddles would start forming at Big Oil's feet and you'd soon see an end to the gouging. Just start talking about the above and they'd soon fall in line. Right now they own western politicians.

[Bragi]

2. Beware of what you wish for...

Let's face it, as a hater of all things governmental, Harper never met a tax cut he didn't like.

I can see him being "pressured" into gleefully cutting taxes on gas, which would help reduce federal fiscal capacity, boost gasoline sales for Alberta, and to hell with the adverse impact on our carbon footprint.

- B