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ARTICLE · 30 SEPTEMBER 2008

Prime Minister Harper Proposes Sweeping Changes To Competition Act If Re-Elected – Increased Fines And Sanctions

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
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As part of the Conservative election platform, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today that, if re-elected on October 14th, his government will introduce a package of amendments designed to “strengthen” Canada’s competition laws and “to protect Canadians from anticompetitive practices and from other abuses”.

CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
Blakes Competition & Antitrust Group
Blakes Competition & Antitrust Group
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Copyright 2008, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Originally published in Blakes Bulletin on Competition, September 2008

As part of the Conservative election platform, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today that, if re-elected on October 14th, his government will introduce a package of amendments designed to "strengthen" Canada's competition laws and "to protect Canadians from anticompetitive practices and from other abuses".

The proposals reflect the current government's view that the enforcement provisions in the Competition Act are "no longer significant enough to effectively deter anticompetitive behaviour" and contemplate sweeping changes to the Act as follows:

  • An increase in the maximum penalties for cartels and bid-rigging to a C$25 million fine and 14 years in prison. (The current maximum penalties are C$10 million and five years).

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