Ten years ago, Big Oil charged $1.28/litre for regular gas as crude hit over $140 a barrel.
They said crude price was the main factor in the pump price. Prior to crude oil plunging three years ago from $112/barrel, when our pump price was $1.10/litre, Big Oil tied pump price consistently to the world price of crude.
Since crude oil plunged and stayed over 50 per cent lower than three years ago to around $55/barrel, Big Oil has repeatedly cited supply-and-demand issues ranging from refinery shutdowns in Ohio to Hurricane Harvey as justification for their price-gouging.
Today, crude oil still sits around $55 per barrel and pump price is back to around $1.28/litre. Since Big Oil has laid off multitudes of workers three years ago, they cannot claim increased costs as pretext for their gouging.
The answer is simple. Their proclivity for unparalleled, profligate profits is unfettered by the silence emanating from Trudeau, Notley and company as they employ the mushroom principle: keep us in the dark and feed us manure. They are hoping we are too stultified to object.
Michael Kapcsos, Stirling
Move Chinatown gate to Royal Alberta Museum
I was quite pleased to hear the idea of putting the Harbin Gate inside the new downtown Royal Alberta Museum as an artifact or immediately adjacent outside in a courtyard area.
Two Chinese-Canadian young ladies, whose grandparents immigrated here, were handing out some leaflets in favour of this on Saturday night. They are University of Alberta students and I applaud their idea.
As the son of a Dutch immigrant and brother-in-law of a brother who is married to a very nice Chinese lady, I can truly appreciate the great Chinese people and how they have really contributed to Edmonton’s rich cultural mosaic.
I am glad these students got a hold of Chinese Benevolent Association leaders with this very practical solution. Plus, it would make an excellent showpiece for the museum at, say, the front entrance and thus allow this beautifully crafted gate to stay in the downtown core.
Rory J. Koopmans, Edmonton
GSA bill intrusive, unilateral
Please help – my metaphors are getting mixed up. Which analogy is more appropriate for Bill 24: a Trojan horse or a battering ram?
Last week, Education Minister David Eggen introduced Bill 24 as legislation which aims to provide safe, caring, and protective spaces for students who struggle with sexual orientation or gender identity. As unobjectionable as that pitch may be, beware the Trojan horse which gives government the unprecedented power to infringe upon the longstanding authority, rights, and freedoms of the primary caregivers: Albertan parents.
The minister also claims he has taken a collaborative approach with school boards across the province. Yet many schools are bemoaning the lack of response received to the policies they submitted. Eggen has chosen instead to communicate indirectly through the media using the divisive language of “outing kids” and in a rushed and heavy-handed manner already introduced new legislation. There is no more collaboration here than between a battering ram and a door.
Anyone can see the problem is greater than mixed metaphors.
Calvin Vanderlinde, Barrhead
Catholic schools a costly duplication
Re. “Bishops warn Catholic school system in danger,” Nov. 7
I find it telling when Catholic leaders espouse their dated dogma to justify their discriminatory actions and behaviours. They have the audacity to suggest they shouldn’t have to follow the laws of the land. Their “Catholic lens” is rose-coloured and out-of-date. The irony of them staring down at the minorities while they publicly complain “we are different” should be ignored. It does confirm they run the Catholic school board, not the elected board.
Taxpayers are the ones in danger, not the church — in danger of paying for needless duplication of services we can’t afford. The majority of other Canadian jurisdictions have done away with duplication. I don’t hear any Catholic leaders complaining in other jurisdictions; the sky didn’t fall in other provinces.
The hypocrisy of them suggesting they keep our public tax dollars so they can have their way to continue to discriminate against GLBTQ kids and their families is unacceptable in 2017.
Murray Billett, Edmonton
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