That's a very good question, Mr. Blaikie. Thank you for your contribution.
I want members to keep in mind that I blocked the Rogers-Shaw takeover because I was adamant that we needed a fourth player nationally. Why did I do that? It was clear that with Videotron, in Quebec, prices were 20% to 30% lower, on average, than in the rest of Canada. I wanted to block the transaction in its original form, to have a fourth strong player and put downward pressure on prices.
According to Statistics Canada figures, things are moving in the right direction. Prices are coming down. It's tough to predict what would have been different had Bill C‑56 been in place at the time. I can speculate, although I shouldn't. With the Competition Bureau's new market study powers, certain aspects of the transaction may have been available before it was referred. The bureau may have been able to gain a better understanding of the market dynamics, something that will be possible under Bill C‑56.
It's important to look under the hood, if you will. When you're examining a specific market, understanding all the dynamics isn't exactly easy when you don't have access to witnesses and documentation. I'll go back to the example Mr. Weiler brought up. If refiners in a region adopt a particular practice, you really need the powers to find that out.
Today, it doesn't make any sense to have a regulator that doesn't legally have the power to compel information or evidence, so it can understand what's going on and bring it to the attention of the government and Parliament. I think this is a step in the right direction. It definitely can't hurt. I believe these provisions are going to make a difference.
It's unrealistic to think that some big companies can be counted on to co‑operate voluntarily. Doing the work that needs to be done requires judicial powers.