You are right. Investigating an industry sector without any specific allegation of an offence under the act could affect the reputation of that sector. That is particularly worrisome in situations where there is no allegation of collusion or anti-competitive behaviour. There is always that concern.
That is one of the problems with Bill C-452. There are no specific grounds for initiating an inquiry. What is the trigger for launching an inquiry? What are the parameters of an inquiry? How long may it take? It also raises questions about confidentiality, because our inquiries are conducted confidentially.