Mr. Speaker, the nature of the amendments is such that we could group them and discuss them in that manner but I appreciate your comments.
The purpose of this bill is twofold, to modernize the Competition Act and to respond to a changing business and enforcement environment by increasing efficiency in the administration of the act. In principle this bill deals with deceptive marketing and deceptive telemarketing. It makes criminal prohibition broader and more flexible. It streamlines the approach to merger reviews. One good thing about how this bill addresses deceptive marketing is that it will create efficiency by allowing civil offences to be addressed without lengthy court delays.
New provisions under Bill C-20 will address deceptive telemarketing practices. For example, in selling lotteries, gambling or vacations to our senior citizens, some telemarketers sell emotions and they defraud them. But high pressure selling tactics are addressed through this bill by requiring telemarketers to give fair and reasonable disclosure of information at the beginning of each telephone call. This includes the identity of the company, the purpose of the communication, the nature of the product or the business interest, the price, any material restrictions and so on. This is particularly important because more businesses like banks, credit unions, airlines, et cetera, are expanding their call centres.
This bill addresses streamlining the merger process. Under the current legislation the requirement for information is very broad and not necessarily efficient or effective. The amount of information required will depend on the complexity of the merger. The government will have time to examine the critical merger proposal thoroughly. For example, there is the controversial merger of the Royal Bank and the Bank of Montreal.
Many of us are experienced in receiving junk mail certificates that grant us millions of dollars. Some fraudulent businesses grant winning prizes while they ask for money in advance for shipment, et cetera, and keep the money. We have to stop all these practices. We must address these unfair practices and ensure fair competition. That is what all members of the House should be doing. We should work toward fair competition in the marketplace.
The official opposition believes in a competitive market arena that serves consumers well. It must be free of deception, collusion or any anti-competitive practice that inhibits its successful operation. On behalf of the people of Surrey Central and other Canadians, in particular senior citizens who need immediate adequate protection against telemarketing fraud, I will be voting in support of Bill C-20. I will have to vote against the amendments we are considering today.