DonateGranted, the Competition Bureau is an independent agency, but the public positions taken by elected officials matter, particularly those with the profile of Champagne, whose department includes the bureau. Canada’s competition law favours narrowly targeted remedies that only partially address competition concerns raised by a merger. That the enforcer would go to these lengths rather than block the merger outright shows how permissive Canada’s competition law is of harms to consumers. Although the committee’s report is helpful and welcome, formal power to block the transaction rests with the bureau. In providing a clear recommendation to stop the mega-merger, Parliament has shown how the Competition Bureau can and should protect consumers.

Source: CBC News March 30, 2022 20:13 UTC