Energy Pricing and Article 904-B

Oil rig at work Rainbow Lake field November 1968

Waldeck - May 24, 2001 - By: Henry Neufeld

energy
price
In the Southwest Booster of May 19/2001, Brad Wall asks the question 'if SaskEnergy's request for a 42% rate hike for natural gas is approved, should the provincial government provide some financial relief for Saskatchewan residents?' It seem to me the question Mr. Wall should be asking, is "what is driving these large energy price increases?"

abundant
supply
Canada has an abundant supply of energy resources, most of which were developed when oil and gas prices were only a small fraction of today's prices. So, why is the Canadian consumer not reaping some real benefits at the pump?

sovereignty
The answer lies in our loss of sovereignty and the trade agreements our capitalist governments of Mulroney, Chretien, and Devine have saddled us with. Who has not heard the level playing field mantra between freetraders. The sad truth is that the level playing field now locks us into a continental market and we must pay whatever the Americans are willing to pay for our own energy. And, to add insult to injury, should we in the future begin to run out of supply, we cannot reduce the amount we export to the US.

free trade
But, I am sure all of this is old news to Mr. Wall as he was part and parcel of the Grant Devine push for free trade. The question he now asks on energy prices is a transparent attempt to shift the blame for the loss of energy sovereignty Canadians now find themselves in. Canadians must now face up to the reality that Canada's bountiful energy supplies will never again work to their direct economic advantage. A few jobs pumping gas? Sure, why not. But fairer gas prices? NEVER

article
904-B
And here is one more penalty for being Canadian. Under Free Trade Agreement article 904-B, the price we are allowed to charge our own consumers -- that's all of us -- has to be at least as high as the price at which Canada sells to the United States.

Ah Yes, the chickens are coming home to roost.

Henry Neufeld
Waldeck, Sask.


Oil rig at work Rainbow Lake field November 1968
Waldeck - May 24, 2001 - By: Henry Neufeld

energy price	In the *Southwest Booster* of May 19/2001, Brad Wall asks the question 'if SaskEnergy's request for a 42% rate hike for natural gas is approved, should the provincial government provide some financial relief for Saskatchewan residents?' It seem to me the question Mr. Wall should be asking, is "what is driving these large energy price increases?"

abundant supply	Canada has an abundant supply of energy resources, most of which were developed when oil and gas prices were only a small fraction of today's prices. So, why is the Canadian consumer not reaping some real benefits at the pump?

sovereignty	The answer lies in our loss of sovereignty and the trade agreements our capitalist governments of Mulroney, Chretien, and Devine have saddled us with. Who has not heard the level playing field mantra between freetraders. The sad truth is that the level playing field now locks us into a continental market and we must pay whatever the Americans are willing to pay for our own energy. And, to add insult to injury, should we in the future begin to run out of supply, we cannot reduce the amount we export to the US.

free trade	But, I am sure all of this is old news to Mr. Wall as he was part and parcel of the Grant Devine push for free trade. The question he now asks on energy prices is a transparent attempt to shift the blame for the loss of energy sovereignty Canadians now find themselves in. Canadians must now face up to the reality that Canada's bountiful energy supplies will never again work to their direct economic advantage. A few jobs pumping gas? Sure, why not. But fairer gas prices? NEVER

article 904-B	And here is one more penalty for being Canadian. Under Free Trade Agreement article 904-B, the price we are allowed to charge our own consumers -- that's all of us -- has to be at least as high as the price at which Canada sells to the United States.

	Ah Yes, the chickens are coming home to roost.

	Henry Neufeld Waldeck, Sask.