Members of the Section have had a busy winter as proposed amendments to the Competition Act continue to work their way through the legislative process. In February, the Section made submissions to the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology regarding its study of Bill C-352, An Act to amend the Competition Act and the Competition Tribunal Act or the Lowering Prices for Canadians Act and to the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance regarding its study of Bill C-59, the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act. The Section also responded to the Department of Finance Consultation on Strengthening Competition in the Financial Sector. A huge thanks goes out to Omar Wakil, Torys LLP for leading the working group drafting the Section’s response. Read more about our submissions.
COUNTERFACTUAL PODCAST
Check out the latest episode of Counterfactual – Finding the Needle in the Haystack: Exploring eDiscovery in the Regulatory Context.
Join host Rebecca Wagner, Torys LLP for a dive into the world of regulatory eDiscovery. In this episode of the Counterfactual podcast, unpack key questions, including where to look for documents, how best to collect them, and how to choose the right technology for your review.
Nyah King and Eric Robinson of KLDiscovery, two experts in the field, share their insights on a variety of facets of regulatory document productions. Nyah and Eric also fill us in on new technological advancements that may soon further shake up the eDiscovery landscape.
Subscribe now to the Counterfactual Podcast! Available wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts!
If you have content ideas for the podcast or would like to volunteer your time, please feel free to contact anyone on the Podcast Committee.
ADAM F. FANAKI COMPETITION LAW MOOT
On March 22-23, 2024, the Section, the Competition Bureau and the Competition Tribunal are hosting the 6th annual Adam F. Fanaki Competition Law Moot in Toronto, ON.
This year’s official Moot Problem focuses on the merger review provisions of the Competition Act, and asks mooters to consider how the Competition Tribunal should define the “proposed merger” in circumstances where a divestiture remedy is introduced by the merging parties after the Commissioner has commenced an application under s. 92 of the Act.
Thank you to all our volunteer judges and timekeepers and good luck to all the mooters!
ABA ANTITRUST LAW SECTION’S SPRING MEETING – APRIL 10-12, 2024
For Section members looking for more great content, the ABA Antitrust Law Section’s Spring Meeting is coming up on April 10-12, 2024 in Washington DC. The meeting will be a gathering of international antitrust/competition, consumer protection, and data privacy enforcers and professionals.
SSNIPETS – SEEKING MEMBER ARTICLES
The Mergers Committee is seeking articles between 1000 – 2500 words in length for a new edition of SSNIPets. Publishing a member article is a great way to contribute to the many ongoing discussions around Canadian competition law and share your thoughts with the broader competition community. Articles should be submitted by April 30, 2024 for inclusion in the next edition of SSNIPets.
SPRING CONFERENCE – MAY 1-2, 2024 (MONTREAL, QC)
Registration is open for the fully bilingual 2024 Competition Law Spring Conference, Old Port – New Tech: Exploring the Future in Montreal’s Old Port, brought to you by our Conference Co-Chairs Pascale Dionne-Bourassa, Bennett Jones LLP and Joshua Krane, McMillan LLP at the Hotel Nelligan. Panels include:
- A fireside chat with Justice Andrew D. Little and Justice Jocelyn Gagné of the Competition Tribunal/Federal Court of Canada
- A fireside chat with Canada’s AI leaders
Leading experts in artificial intelligence will discuss the impact of AI on innovation in Canada and around the world and what the future may hold for all of us. Panellists include the Hon. David Lametti, former Parliamentary Secretary and Member of Parliament, Alex Shee of Global Partnership on Artifical Intelligence, Paul Gagnon of BCF Business Law and Misha Benjamin of Samasource Impact Sourcing, Inc.
Simultaneous interpretation in English and French will be offered for all panels.
We encourage all current and prospective members of the Section to join us on the evening of May 1 for a tour of Aura in the Notre-Dame Basilica followed by dinner at Gaspar, a French brasserie in Old Montreal. The Aura Experience immerses you in a captivating visual and musical universe presented upon one of the most sublime canvases imaginable: the French-inspired, Gothic Revival architectural interior of Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal. Dinner will be at the participant’s own expense. Gaspar offers a blend of fine French traditional-fused with forward thinking Montreal cuisine.
A welcome reception “Death by Chocolate” is open to all Conference participants at 9:00 pm at the Hotel Nelligan.
REGISTER NOW →
YOUNG LAWYERS’ SYMPOSIUM – MAY 2-3, 2024 (MONTREAL, QC)
The annual CBA Competition Law Section’s Young Lawyers Half Day Symposium is returning and will be in the La Belle Province for its 9th year! This Symposium directly follows the CBA Competition Law Spring Conference, but attendees may opt to register for one or both.
The Committee is thrilled to present an exciting agenda for this free Symposium dedicated to CBA members and Bureau officers in their first 10 years of practice.
The Symposium delves into the question at the front of our collective mind as the Competition Act undergoes significant change: “what is the purpose of competition law in Canada?” Join us on Friday, May 3 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm for an engaging morning of panel discussions that will explore whether recent amendments go too far or not far enough and how our political and economic landscape can be expected to influence our practices.
We also welcome you to attend a sponsored networking reception the evening of Thursday, May 2nd. Early registration is encouraged to reserve your spot, which includes a light breakfast and lunch.
REGISTER NOW →
THE JAMES H. BOCKING MEMORIAL AWARD
All full-time students at a Canadian law school or Canadian-qualified lawyers within three years of graduation can also contribute to the ongoing discussions around Canadian competition law and policy by submitting a scholarly paper to the Section on a subject directly relating to Canadian competition law and policy issues. The award consists of a monetary prize of $2,500, as well as a complimentary registration for the Section’s Annual Fall Conference at which time the award will be presented.
The submission deadline for this year’s contest is May 2, 2024. Details on the contest criteria and eligibility are available.
COMMITTEE UPDATES
Details on upcoming events and past events are available on each of the Committee webpages.
Thank you,
Elisa Kearney
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Chair, CBA Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section 2023-2024