Von Finckenstein, Denham – Canada Needs Coherent Digital Regulation (I)
From: Konrad von Finckenstein and Elizabeth Denham To: Canada’s Digital Regulators Date: June 15, 2022 Re: Canada Needs Coherent Digital Regulation (I) Recent digital innovations have created abundant opportunities, but societal problems related to technology have emerged as well. Fortunately, Canada has strong privacy laws and regulatory bodies that protect citizens by keeping tabs on governments and companies that […] Ottawa Moving with Unnecessary Haste on Competition Law Reform
June 9 – The government missed key opportunities to consult with various constituencies affected by proposed amendments to the Competition Act in the Budget Implementation Act. While agreeing with Minister Champagne regarding the critical role of the Competition Act in promoting dynamic and fair markets, the Competition Policy Council does not think that such consequential changes to the legislation intended to improve its operation can, or should be, done without input from stakeholders. In all cases, the Council is of the view that greater consultation before implementing the changes would, and still could, improve them to the betterment of Canadians and the Canadian economy. This is the consensus of the C.D. Howe Institute…
Bafale, Robson – Canadian Investment in Intellectual Property Products is Too Low
To: Canada’s Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland From: Mawakina Bafale and William B.P. Robson Date: May 9, 2022 Re: Canadian Investment in Intellectual Property Products is Too Low Minister, your 2022 federal budget rightly highlighted the importance of economic growth for Canadians’ future prosperity and the fiscal health of Canadian governments. Much of the budget’s […] Goldman, Taylor, Cartel, Schwartz – Proposed Revision of the Efficiency Defence for Mergers in Canada’s Competition Act
To: The Hon. Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry From: Calvin Goldman, Richard Taylor, Nicholas Cartel, and Larry Schwartz Date: May 4, 2022 Re: Proposed Revision of the Efficiency Defence for Mergers in Canada’s Competition Act The Competition Bureau’s 67-page submission to Senator Howard Wetston’s Competition Act consultation process used about 20 pages to […] Krane, Musgrove – Drip Pricing Amendments to the Competition Act
To: The Hon. Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry From: Joshua Krane and James Musgrove Date: May 3, 2022 Re: Drip Pricing Amendments to the Competition Act Proposed amendments to sections 52(1.2) and 74.01(1.1) of the Competition Act would prohibit “drip pricing,” where consumers are shown one price, but end up facing higher […] Edward Iacobucci – The Competition Bureau’s Approach to the Efficiencies Defence
From: Edward Iacobucci To: Competition Law observers Date: May 2, 2022 Re: The Competition Bureau’s Approach to the Efficiencies Defence Section 96 of the Competition Act allows anticompetitive mergers as long as the efficiency gains from the merger outweigh the anticompetitive effects from the merger. The Bureau recently called for the repeal of the defence, […] Rushed Amendments Could Have Unintended Consequences: C.D. Howe Institute Competition Policy Council
April 28, 2022 – The C.D. Howe Institute Competition Policy Council supports the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry’s recent statement that “competition in the economy is the driving force behind innovation, efficiency and adaptability.”
However, in “Bring on the Competition: Reforming Canada’s Competition Act,” the Council’s 22nd report, it cautions that rushed amendments to the Competition Act without careful consideration and thoughtful debate could have unintended consequences for these forces in the Canadian economy. “Even perceived shortcomings in the Competition Act may not easily be addressed without unintended consequences,” according to the Council’s latest Communiqué.
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John Lester – Broadening the New Review of Tax Support for R&D
From: John Lester To: Canadians Concerned About Innovation Date: April 26, 2022 Re: Broadening the New Review of Tax Support for R&D Canadians concerned about our lacklustre innovation performance were cheered by the budget announcement that the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program would be reviewed. Canada’s business research and development performance is dismal, […] Edward Iacobucci – The Competition Bureau’s Approach to the Goals of Competition Policy
To: Competition Law Observers From: Edward Iacobucci Date: April 19, 2022 Re: The Competition Bureau’s Approach to the Goals of Competition Policy What should be the goals of competition policy? Section 1.1 of the Competition Act provides that promoting competition promotes efficiency, competitive prices and product choices, and tends to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have […] David Marshall – Reforming Auto Insurance
From: David Marshall To: Canadian Drivers Date: April 18, 2022 Re: Reforming Auto Insurance Auto insurance premiums in Canada amount to about $27 billion per year. Key reforms could save millions for consumers as they make auto insurance more responsive to market forces, as I outline in my recent C.D. Howe Institute report. Auto insurance for personal injury and […] Le biberon empoisonné – La Presse Op-Ed
Pas facile de lâcher le biberon pétrolier qui empoisonne notre planète. Comment concilier la nécessaire décarbonation et la sécurité énergétique ? Et, de surcroît, assurer une transition juste pour les provinces productrices ?
Ces questions n’ont pas de réponses faciles. À raison, les environnementalistes poussent pour un sevrage et une transition rapide vers les énergies renouvelables. Mais les consommateurs sont habiles à rationaliser l’utilité de leur VUS. Et à l’ère du populisme, les gouvernements craignent de les brusquer. Quant aux pétrolières et aux provinces productrices, elles cherchent évidemment à protéger leur pactole le plus longtemps possible.
En Europe, la guerre en Ukraine a rappelé brutalement l’…
George N. Addy – Competition Act Amendments: First Add Oversight and Accountability
From: George N. Addy To: Competition Law Observers Date: April 12, 2022 Re: Competition Act Amendments: First Add Oversight and Accountability Competition law – traditionally the domain of lawyers, economists and bureaucrats – has in recent years caught the attention of elected officials, media and the general public in many countries. In Canada, calls for amendments to the Competition […]