Conservative Leader Stephen Harper promised he would provide relief for motorists by eliminating the GST on gas costing more than 85 cents a litre.

"These are revenues that no one foresaw even a few months ago. We are only depriving Ottawa of a massive windfall it didn't count on and that it doesn't need," Harper said, adding that consumers would save about a penny a litre.

"The main thing is that Canadians know the government is not trying to gouge them at the same time they are having trouble filling their tank," he said. "We want to do what we can to bring taxes down."

Only diesel fuel left in a gas station in the Yellowknife(Photo credit: Jack Vethaak)

Finance Minister Ralph Goodale said that Harper's solution would save consumers very little money because of the volatility of the market.

"Whack a point or two off the tax rate – it doesn't provide the type of relief that consumers are wanting."

Goodale rejected Harper's claim that the government wants to benefit from an unpredictable windfall. He said the plan is to put excess gasoline revenue into medical equipment.

Stephen Harper (File Picture)

He said a better solution is needed than Harper's GST tax relief proposal.

"If we can find a way to address it, we will do so and we'll indicate that in the next little while."

Goodale also blasted the Conservative party's proposed tax cuts, saying they would "radically" slash government spending by more than $30 billion over the next five years.

"The Alliance/Conservatives will cut and cut deeply, inevitably affecting the well-being and the quality of life of millions of Canadians," Goodale said.

Prime Minister Paul Martin is expected to call an election for June 28.