Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to follow up with my colleague. The information I have is that gas prices are dropping in many parts of the Northwest Territories, and inexplicably they’re not dropping in Yellowknife to parallel those drops. There’s no explanation for that. This is clearly unfair to the consumer and raises questions.
Will the Minister find out and explain to us why that’s happening? I don’t think we should need a motion on this or anything like that. Constituents are bringing this to our attention. We’re bringing it to the Minister and saying, yo, what will you do to get after this. So to start with, will you find out why the prices are not dropping here when they’re dropping elsewhere? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have committed to doing that. Thank you.
I didn’t hear that commitment before. I heard that we’re going to take a long time to look at this and so on. So I’d like some specifics.
Will the Minister find out if there’s some sort of collusion or price-fixing amongst businesses that are selling in Yellowknife that explains why the price is not adjusting with the price elsewhere in Canada and the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Those are some very serious comments, and if there is a belief out there that there is that happening, then I think we need to notify the appropriate parties.
Again, I have committed before that we would look at it, and I mentioned moving a motion. I was just pointing out some options that are available to us as a Legislative Assembly. However, I have committed that we would look at it. But as far as the Member’s specific looking into that, I mean, I’m not sure where our jurisdiction is. I would have to find that out too.
Thanks for the comments from the Minister. These are questions being raised by the public. I’m not making any accusations. I think it would be great for the Minister to do what he can to clarify the situation and get some answers to the public.
I guess I would ask what consumer affairs, the Minister’s department, can do to help people answer this question and make sure they’re getting fair treatment from the gas distributors in Yellowknife compared to elsewhere in the Northwest Territories.
I will have a discussion with our folks over at Consumer Affairs in our department to see what options are available to us. The Member pointed out some of the concerns that were raised in the public and we’ve heard those complaints. I will have a discussion with the folks over at the department to see what our options are and I will communicate that to the Members.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
