Bread and Circuses - addendum

While I can appreciate that some Canadians are affected by the cost of cable, cell phones or even on occasion by Air Canada - those issues do not affect all of us all of the time. However, the cost of fuel for our vehicles affects almost all of us directly or indirectly.

If the Government of Canada really wanted to help the consumer they would would stop the price fixing of gasoline that occurs on a regular basis. Anyone (with the exception of the government anti-trust inspectors) would realize that there must be some sort of collusion between the oil companies. All one has to do is to watch the prices bounce up and down in concert with every other gas station in the area. For example on Thursday in my area gas cost $1.16, on Friday (the start of a long weekend) the price was up to $1.21  and now on Wednesday the price is down to $1.17. The explanation that oil prices fluctuates at the well head does not explain why the prices move up and down so rapidly in a smooth and clear connection to other gas prices in the area.

To say it is a coincidence that all gas companies decided individually to adjust their prices up and then down at the same time substantially stretches my definition of coincidence beyond usefulness.
So government - I know it is against your philosophical belief to interfere with the market place - but could you, if you are going to interfere with the market (in terms of cable or cell phone providers) anyways - could you please also stop this blatant price fixing of gasoline prices at the pump.

Not that it would make me vote for you - but I would perhaps have some respect for you when you say you care about the consumer.