Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to indicate at the outset that I am in support of this motion, and then to the principle of the motion that has been mentioned by my colleague before me.... I think I’d like to make some comments, though, in relation to some of the arguments that have been presented already and try to counter them.
I also feel that there should not be an increase to registration fees in small communities, and I don’t believe that’s what this particular motion presents. It presents, simply, the possibility of implementing a tiered registration system. It does not say that registrations will increase. We’re not discussing the implementation here; we’re merely discussing the principle of this particular motion.
I think that a tiered system will allow us to accommodate regional differences. I fully understand that we have regional differences and that in Tulita it’s far easier to drive with a truck than to drive with a small car on the roads that exist there. I agree with that. But I think a tiered system will allow us to maintain current registration fees at the level they are at now and give some sort of a break for people who wish to…. It will give them an incentive to take care of the environment and look at purchasing a more fuel efficient vehicle.
I have to say that, in my mind, there are large vehicles, which would be a truck that’s, say, an F-150, and there are gigantic vehicles. I think the intent of this motion is to increase fees for gigantic vehicles. I think there’s a full understanding on the part of Members that an F-150 is a fairly common vehicle in the communities, and it probably will survive the roads that exist in the communities and will take them from one to the other. There’s no need in most communities for the gigantic vehicle — even for those with large families.
I think that this particular motion will supplement the ecoAUTO rebate program that we have in place and that it will encourage people to limit their greenhouse gas emissions. I think that’s a good thing. I think that’s something we should keep front
and centre of our minds all the time, and I don’t know that we do that.
I do think it’s time we take responsibility for our own energy use. It’s a mentality we have to keep hammering away at. I think most people, to a certain extent, have a little bit of it, but it’s in the back of our brain as opposed to the front of our brain. This is just one more tool we can use to get people to be conscious of what they’re doing.
I think I’ll quit before I lose my voice.