A Competition Bureau summary highlighting discussions at its recent workshop finds that financial regulators and industry agree that they must work together to get policy and regulations right for innovation to flourish in Canada’s emerging, technology-driven financial services (FinTech) sector. The summary notes the key reasons cited by workshop participants on why the FinTech sector is not … Read more
Car parts manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric Corporation pleaded guilty to three counts of bid-rigging for participating in an international conspiracy and was fined $13.4 million by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. A Bureau investigation determined that Mitsubishi Electric entered into illegal agreements with a competing Japanese car parts manufacturer. The full release is available online. Call 819-994-5945.
The Competition Bureau invites Canadian propane consumers to share their views on Superior Plus LP’s (Superior) proposed acquisition of Canwest Propane (Canwest), Gibson Energy Inc.’s (Gibson) retail propane business. The Bureau has not reached any conclusions regarding the proposed transaction. As part of its review, it is seeking information to help better understand the marketplace. The full … Read more
A dedicated telephone tip line and online form to accept anonymous tips from Canadians who suspect fraud, collusion or corruption in federal government contracts and real property agreements has been launched. The Federal Contracting Fraud Tip Line is a joint initiative of the Competition Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted … Read more
The Competition Bureau released its draft 2017-18 Annual Plan: Competition is Key for public comment. The draft Plan provides details on the Bureau’s priorities and objectives for the coming year. It outlines how the Bureau will continue its work to foster the conditions for innovation in Canada. The full release is available online. Call 819-994-5945.
The Competition Bureau won praise from leading international antitrust experts last night in Washington, D.C. for its Intellectual Property Enforcement Guidelines. The Bureau was honoured with the title of Most Innovative Soft Law (intellectual property section) at the 2017 Antitrust Writing Awards. The honour singled out the Bureau’s IPEGs as the most innovative non-enforcement tool by … Read more
Competition policy and enforcement were on the agenda of formal meetings held in Gatineau between the Commissioner of Competition, John Pecman, and the European Commission’s Director-General for Competition, Johannes Laitenberger. The agencies discussed their priorities, ongoing cooperation, significant enforcement cases, and developments in areas of mutual interest, including the digital economy and promoting competition and innovation … Read more
The Competition Bureau is releasing for comment a draft version of its bulletin on Information Requests from Private Parties in Proceedings for Recovery of Loss or Damages. This draft bulletin sets out the Bureau’s general approach to requests for access to confidential information in its possession from persons involved in private law suits brought under section … Read more
The Bureau has taken legal action against the Hudson’s Bay Company for what it considers to be deceptive regular price claims and deceptive clearance promotions for mattresses and foundations sold together as sleep sets. The Bureau’s investigation found that HBC has engaged in deceptive marketing practices by offering sleep sets at grossly inflated regular prices and … Read more
The Competition Bureau announced that it is closing its investigation into concerns of anti‑competitive conduct by Apple related to its contracts with Canadian wireless carriers that sell and market iPhones. The Bureau examined whether the contracts harm competition by impacting wireless carriers’ incentives to promote iPhones over other brands of smartphones, and whether they resulted in … Read more
