Thanks Q for your explanation. My perspective was as a consumer hoping that the Petro Canada on the corner would be able to keep its price to an honest return and force the competition to do likewise. When the government put the 10 cent a gallon tax on gas to raise the exploration fund money I grumbled but saw it as short term pain for long term gain. This created exploration but it was never developed enough to see the payback at the pumps. Alberta made it plain that they did not see a national oil policy as being to their liking and in the end won the day. I guess we have drifted the thread quite a bit but I'm afraid that I will always hate oil companies. :-}
                      Sandy