When is discrimination discrimination?
Over the last numbers years, the residents of Prince George have been paying some of the highest prices for fuel in the province. British Columbia has more than one wholesale price of fuel before provincial fuel taxes are added.
I had an occasion to go to Victoria within the last two weeks. Fuel in Victoria was $1.349 a litre, Vancouver $1.459, Boston Bar $1.259, Kamloops $1.199 and Prince George $1.339 These prices include provincial and municipal taxation where applicable.
I iwent across the line to Bellingham Wash. I bought fuel in Washington and watched people with B.C. license plated vehicles filling their vehicles, even filling jerry cans.
I watched two vehicles do this while waiting my turn to fuel up. I read on the Internet this week that Canada is losing $20 Billion to cross border shopping of which a good portion would be fuel
that amounts to a $100 Million loss in federal revenue and the loss to B.C. of the provincial tax on fuel and the carbon tax.
Where are our political representatives Mr. Harris, Mr. Zimmerman, Mrs. Bond, Mr Bell,and Mr Rustad on this issue? I heard Kevin Falcon say this isn't a problem. As a person who has gone down to the United States twice in about twenty years, I say it is.
We need to have one whole price in Canada. This price would include shipping and a reasonable profit for fuel to the provider. Provinces, territories and municipal government could put their taxation on after that.
Stan New
Prince George
