Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will not be supporting the motion. I believe this motion is going a little too far, especially with the impact it’s going to have on our small communities where we depend on the good old pickup trucks to get around. Those are our work trucks; they’re not just a luxury item. In most cases we do have potholes. We don’t have just a few speed bumps on the way. Most of our highways are gravel and rough. I think someone with a hybrid trying to operate under that condition, or even a Lexus for that matter, will have a real problem in navigating themselves on the roads we have to travel on.

It’s important to realize that this is just one tax of many taxes that we see on the horizon. Until we know what the picture is in regard to the global issues by way of enforcing this type of legislation, but not imposing it strictly on the type of livelihood that you have or where you live, and not having the luxury of driving on paved roads….

I think you also have to realize that there are 12,000 truckloads that drive up our highway systems to the diamond mines, yet nothing in this legislation is going to affect that industry. They’re shipping 12,000 truckloads of diesel fuel to these diamond mines, and nothing’s been done in that case. I think it’s important to realize we have some bigger polluters out there than little Joe and Mary trying to run up the hills to get a load of wood.

I think it’s important that this government takes a comprehensive approach in regard to these different initiatives of tax increases, raising fuel taxes, or considering alternative tax implications. At the end of the day the bottom line for people living in small communities is what effect this has on the high cost of living that’s already in place. We pay the highest price in regard to fuel; we pay a fuel tax on top of that. We also pay in regard to heating fuel. We’re nailed with another tax on our heating fuel. I think it’s important to realize that in what little way this was intended…. You have to calculate the cumulative effect of all taxes, not just this one that’s being presented.

At this time I will be voting against the motion.