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More oil and gas exploration.
More oil and gas production.
More pipelines.
And fewer taxes.
That's the magic formula for lower gas prices and dampened inflation, according to the Central Okanagan's two Conservative MPs.
"The Liberals are hurting Canadians by doing nothing to lower gas prices and lower inflation," said Kelowna-Lake Country Conservative MP Tracy Gray.
"They have to listen and make a difference by reducing taxes on gas immediately to give Canadians immediate relief. In the longer term, Canada has to increase its production of oil and gas and build more pipelines so we have energy security for ourselves and we can also help other nations around the world."
Dan Albas, the Conservative MP for Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, concurs.
"Energy prices in Canada would drop if we extracted more oil and gas and had the pipelines to take it to more refineries and to market," he said.
"People are struggling to buy gas to put in their vehicles, put food on the table and put a roof over their heads. Prices are out of control and BC and Canada have to take action."
The two MPs are calling on the federal governments to scrap taxes on gasoline to make it more affordable.
Based on the current gas price of around $2 a litre, 62 cents, or almost a third, is provincial and federal taxes that could be eliminated in this high inflation environment.
"We're in a time of crisis," said Gray.
"We need to help people right away."
While inflation is currently 7.7%, its highest since 1983, the price of gas is actually up 48%, transportation up 14%, groceries up 9.7% and shelter up 7.4%.
Canada has the third largest oil reserves in the world behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
However, while that reserve remains in the ground it can do nothing to help supply Canadians with more affordable gas.
In fact, despite having vast reserves, Canada has to import about 15% of the oil it needs.
That means rather than helping ourselves, Canada pays a premium to import oil from the US, Saudi Arabia and Norway, according to the MPs.
The Liberals seem to be fine with leaving reserves in the ground and keeping gas prices high as a way of forcing people to change their behaviour to switch from gas to electric or other alternative or clean energies, according to the MPs.
The Liberals should not just toss taxes on gasoline, but should clear the way for more oil and gas exploration and production and pipelines with revised policies and faster permitting, according to Gray and Albas.
"The transition to electric takes time," said Gray.
"In the meantime, we should be using our oil and gas resources to push down gas prices and inflation so families and seniors can make ends meet."
Gray pointed out that high gas prices ripple right through the economy because energy is needed to make and transport everything we use and eat, pushing up the price of everything.
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