Bill C-352

Lowering Prices for Canadians Act

An Act to amend the Competition Act and the Competition Tribunal Act

This enactment amends the Competition Act to increase penalties for certain anti-competitive acts. It also changes aspects of the review of mergers, including how gains in efficiency and market concentration are taken into account. In addition, it requires the Competition Tribunal to make an order dissolving a completed merger or prohibiting the merger from proceeding if the merger would result in excessive combined market share. The limitation period for the review of mergers is increased from one year to three years. Finally, it amends the Competition Tribunal Act to remove the Tribunal’s ability to award costs against the Crown.

Lowering Prices for Canadians Act

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-352, An Act to amend the Competition Act and the Competition Tribunal Act.

Madam Speaker, Canadians are hurting with record-high grocery bills. For 20 months in a row, food prices rose faster than inflation and the Liberals did nothing about it. They protected the profits of rich CEOs and let everyone end up paying the price. The Leader of the Opposition let food prices rise by 25% when he was in power and let big grocery stores pay less taxes. CEOs got big breaks while everyone paid more. It does not have to be this way. Today, I introduce the lowering prices for Canadians act. This bill will increase fines and make it easier for the Competition Bureau to crack down on price-gouging, price-fixing and other abuses of Canadian consumers. It will stop the mergers that hurt Canadians. It is time that we end the free ride of CEOs and big corporations.

Today I am introducing the lowering prices for Canadians act. It will increase the fines issued to companies that abuse consumers, and it will make it possible to stop corporate mergers that hurt Canadians.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion. I move that Standing Order 28(1) be amended by adding the following: “and when those days fall on a Saturday or a Sunday, the House shall not meet on the following Monday.”

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Carol Hughes]

All those opposed to the hon. parliamentary secretary moving the motion will please say nay. It is agreed.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

[An hon. member]

Nay.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Madam Speaker, to the best of my information, it has not been passed to us to consider whether we are in favour or not. We would require—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Carol Hughes]

Could the hon. member please turn on her camera if she wants to speak?

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Madam Speaker, as is the usual practice, I would have assumed the right to have unanimous consent for non-contentious motions as the previous two times the Conservatives just blocked me from speaking in honour of Monique Bégin.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Carol Hughes]

We do not have unanimous consent for the motion.