To the editor,
During this time of ridiculous gas prices and rising costs of groceries, I think a few things have to be pointed out.
The powers that be want people to believe that the reason for the huge increases is because of the war in Ukraine and supply chain issues. As Greta Thunberg says,”Blah, blah, blah, blah!” The real reason for increases is one thing only: gouging!
I would like to point out that I am a firm believer in “shop local,” but when the price difference becomes ridiculous, a person has to draw the line.
A fine example of a price difference is propane. All winter, I have bought propane in Clearwater because the price difference between here and Kamloops was small: $95.00 versus $84.00. However, on April 19, I went to fill a 100-lb tank locally and the attendant said the price had gone up to $137.50!
On April 20, I went to Kamloops and I took two 100-lb propane tanks and six gas jugs to fill, plus I filled my truck. The total saving was $122.58, and that doesn’t include what I saved on groceries.
The savings on groceries were substantial: the cheese is $13.99 in Clearwater but $8.00 in Kamloops (with a best before date that is two months longer), Kellogg’s All Bran with raisins is $7.99 in Clearwater but in Kamloops you get three boxes for $9.00.
I don’t expect Clearwater to match Kamloops prices, but those kinds of differences are nothing short of gouging, and here is the problem: Premier John Horgan’s attitude is “if you can’t afford gas, take the bus.” That’s pretty cheeky for someone who formed a majority government with only 26 per cent of eligible voters! Do the math!
Then there is the $110 rebate from ICBC. That’s not a gas rebate, it’s an insurance rebate for all of the people who have been gouged on their insurance policies. ICBC going from a $2-billion dollar deficit to a $3-billion dollar surplus tells me one thing: the ICBC dumpster fire was fuelled by NDPBS.
Jim Lamberton,
The Rambling Man
newsroom@clearwatertimes.com
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