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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The government needs to protect consumers from potential price fixing at the pump, Dave Ramsay, MLA for Kam Lake, argued last Thursday.

"When world oil prices fall, residents here in Yellowknife watch enviously as prices of gas at the pump fall by 12 to 15 cents per litre in southern Canada," he said. "Here, for some reason, they stay at levels that just do not make sense to me or to residents."

The Yellowknife MLA said he does not buy gasoline retailers' argument that fuel stored here has to reflect the purchase price from the supplier.

"If that were true, why is it that when world oil prices rise, the price at the pump rises the next day?" he asked.

He suggested the government look at regulating gas prices, or work to provide the public with assurances that they are being protected at the pump.

Sandy Lee, minister of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), said the consumer protection branch of MACA had not heard any direct complaints about gas prices from the public. She said crude oil prices account for about 85 per cent of gasoline prices at the pump.

On Sept. 16 the price of gas had jumped nearly 10 cents in one day, from $1.48 per litre to $1.57 per litre.

The price was $1.39 as of Tuesday.

Senior managers get their bonuses

From 2003 to 2007, more than 80 per cent of senior managers, and an even higher percentage of executive managers, received performance bonuses from the Government of the Northwest Territories.

In each fiscal year, from 2003-04 to 2006-07, only six times did executive managers not receive a bonus, while 14, 16, 17 and 20 executive managers did receive one, in each of those years, respectively.

In senior management, 122, 133, 134 and 145 people received bonuses in those years.

"A performance bonus may be granted to an executive or senior manager who demonstrates outstanding job performance, and contributes to the achievement of government-wide objectives," said Bob McLeod, minister of human resources.

Last session, Glen Abernethy, MLA for Great Slave, brought up the issue of performance bonuses.

He said the high number of management personnel receiving bonuses had him questioning whether they were working as incentives for management to work more efficiently.

McLeod said bonuses for senior managers are not to exceed 3.8 per cent of their salaries.

Performance bonuses have not yet been awarded yet for the last fiscal year and a review of the system is being planned for later this year.

Quote of the week:

"I only wish there was a program at the Tree of Peace (where I could) send the finance minister to make sure he understands that."

Robert Hawkins, MLA for Yellowknife Centre, criticizing the government, for what he called its spending problem.