Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The rising cost of energy is having an adverse impact on the people of the Northwest Territories. Stats Canada produces information on the cost of living in the publication, The Consumer Price Index. According to this, the cost of heating fuel went from 32 and a half cents per litre in March, 1999, to 52.3 cents per litre in March, 2001, in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, this is an increase of 19.8 cents per litre, or 61 percent over two years.
Over that same period, the cost of gasoline went from 69.9 cents to 87.5 cents, an increase of 17.6 cents per litre, or 25 percent.
Mr. Speaker, there have also been drastic increases in the price of propane. In January 2000, the plant price for propane in Edmonton was $130.98 per cubic metre. In January of this year, the price had increased over two-and-a-half times.
While increases in the price of fuel have had an affect on our southern neighbours, the impact is even greater in the Northwest Territories. We have longer winters, less daylight and require our staples to be transported greater distances, Mr. Speaker.
The cost to run our vehicles has increased and has become a burden for some families. As well, the cost of air travel has become out of reach for an increasing number of our citizens. Compounding these costs will be the cost to travel on NWT highways coming from the user toll on commercial trucking proposed by the Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, the fuel rebate this spring was a good start, but it disqualified too many people. The Minister thinks that the price of oil is on its way down, and as he said yesterday "It is predicted to go down even lower", so he is not looking at a rebate at this time.
However, I wish he would have told the Power Corporation this, Mr. Speaker. They have submitted a general rate application asking to raise the cost of power to our homes by $20 to $25 a household on average, due in large part to the cost of fuel going forward. Other experts are also predicting higher fuel prices.
Mr. Speaker, it is time to start talking about another fuel rebate, but this time, let us do it right. Base it on usage. Do not discriminate on income. Find some relief for small business. Mr. Speaker, let us start discussions about another fuel rebate. Thank you.
-- Applause