Rapid Passage Of Competition Act Amendments Through Budget Implementation Act Process Can Cause More Harm Than Good

The Trudeau government's plan for a quick and easy win on competition law reform owing to public pressure to tame the large digital platforms will result in significant changes to the Competition Act being pushed through with little to no scrutiny because there is not enough time to properly consult and debate the proposed reforms under the Budget Implementation Act ("BIA") process. While Justin Trudeau campaigned to control the use of omnibus budget bills, he continues their use even for significant amendments to economic framework legislation.

While competition law reform in Canada is long overdue, the inability for Canadians to properly scrutinize and alter the course of major legislative changes buried in the omnibus budget bill renders the bill reckless and anti-democratic. It is therefore not surprising that the Conservatives have asked for further study of the changes to the Competition Act that would, among other things, expand the definition of