Is Frank lying about gas prices?

Guelph Liberal candidate Frank Valeriote says that Dion's carbon tax won't affect gas prices. However, that statement is misleading at best, as it is demonstratably false. So the question must be asked, is Frank Valeriote deliberately seeking to decieve voters in Guelph?

During the by-election in Guelph, Liberal candidate Frank Valeriote put out a full page ad on the back of the Guelph Tribune, the local free paper. The bottom half of it has a comparison section, comparing our and their views on Dion's "Green Shift" carbon tax.

Under the Conservative viewpoint section, it says, "Gas Prices - They say will go up". But over on the Liberal's "Green Shift" section of the page, it says, "Gas Prices - Not affected by The Green Shift".

Is that so, Frank? The "Green Shift" isn't going to affect gas prices? Are you sure about that? Because I think I can prove our position pretty conclusively.

The increase in transportation costs alone blow the Liberal's claim right out of the water. In the Green Shift, there is a $0.07 tax on the price of diesel. And how does your gasoline get to your local neighbourhood pump? In trucks... trucks that run on diesel.

According to Petro Canada, the transportation of your gas falls under their "Refining and Marketing Costs". From their website: "This portion of the price covers all costs of operations — such as the costs of refining crude oil into gasoline, transportation, distribution charges, as well as all marketing and operational expenses at the retail level."

Catch that? Transportation and distribution costs... they're going to go up under Dion's carbon tax because of the tax on diesel. So will the cost of refining, despite what some Liberal MP's from the East Coast may say. (you see, they burn some of the stuff to run the process guys... which releases carbon, if I'm not mistaken... which is going to be taxed)

So, we know for a fact that the cost to produce, distribute, and deliver your gasoline is going to go up. By how much, we don't know yet. However, remember what their website said about the profits on each litre of gas they sell? Petro Canada's website says it's just 2%... I've seen some places that put it at around 3%. Anyway, with that slim a profit margin, do you seriously think that the so-called evil "Big Oil" companies are going to let Mr. Dion's plan interfere with their profits? I didn't think so.

Therefore, there's only one logical conclusion... if their costs are going to go up, they're going to pass on the extra "Green Shift" carbon tax expenses on to you... the consumer.

And how will they do that? They'll raise the price at the pump.

Now that we've come to that realization, what exactly does that do to Guelph Liberal candidate Frank Valeriote's pledge that the "Green Shift" won't affect gas prices?

That's right... it's been proven to be factually incorrect.

Gas prices, under Mr. Dion's Green Shift, have nowhere to go BUT UP.

So, that raises an even more important question... when Frank made the pledge, in black and white, that gas prices will not be affected by the "Green Shift", was he misinformed, or was he attempting to misinform?

The citizens of Guelph will have to decide that one for themselves.