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Fage Flip-Flops on Gas Regulation |
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Written by NS Liberal Party
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Thursday, 04 May 2006 |
Even Conservative MLA Ernie Fage recognizes that regulation will not provide stable gas prices, says Liberal Energy Critic Manning MacDonald. MacDonald points out the former cabinet minister said just seven months ago gas regulation doesn’t provide stability at the pumps.
Yesterday the government announced it was regulating gas prices to provide stability, effective July 1.
In an interview with the media on September 3, 2005, Fage said, “Regulation certainly didn’t stop [an] increase when the reality of supply was forced on [PEI]. When supply was forced in front of PEI, their price went ahead of Nova Scotia, regulated or not.” He was responding to the 31.5 cent increase in prices over 24 hours experienced by PEI.
However, in an interview yesterday with Fage’s local media he argued that regulation will bring stable prices to consumers.
“This decision is based on bringing stability to the marketplace. With regulation, Nova Scotians won’t be exposed to the peaks and valleys,” Fage said to the Amherst Daily News.
MacDonald says Fage’s flip-flop on this issue makes it clear that the Conservatives are trying to fool Nova Scotians into believing that regulation is in their best interest before the premier calls an election.
“This is nothing more than the Conservatives trying to convince Nova Scotians that they are doing something about high gas prices,” says MacDonald. “The premier knows full well that regulation will not give consumers what they really need - a break on gas prices.”
Liberal Leader Francis MacKenzie announced last week the Liberals want to cap the revenue the government receives on fuel. This would be done by performing a quarterly price review and then adjusting the provincial tax. |
