🪞 lost in translation

What does antitrust action elsewhere mean for Canada?

Jul 16, 2021

I’m really sorry but this is about competition policy again*.

The competition EO means better wages and lower costs. Here’s just a few things it will do: - Limit non-compete agreements - Prevent excessive internet termination fees - Bring down prescription prices with more generic options - Make it easier and cheaper to get hearing aids

Richard Bibeault @Duderichy

Target is using its monopoly power to give itself an advantage selling knockoff products next to name brand at lower prices It’s time to #breakuptarget

John Cassidy @JohnCassidy

“There is an intellectual revolution here, which the President has embraced,” @superwuster tells me.

The Biden Antitrust RevolutionJohn Cassidy writes about a new executive order that calls for the federal government to work proactively to end monopolies that undermine economic fairness and American democracy.newyorker.com

David Dayen @ddayen

President Biden's wide-ranging executive order has 72 different actions. Many must be executed by agencies where he hasn't produced nominees to carry it out, and consequently the actions could end up in limbo or partisan gridlock. @alex_sammon reports:

There’s Just One Problem With Biden’s Executive Order SpreeThe administration’s staffing deficiencies could imperil the entire agenda.prospect.org

I wrote about all the cool competition/antitrust stuff in the Biden EO, and whether it can or should inspire policy progress in Canada. 🇨🇦

Report on Business @globebusiness

Biden’s executive order on competition should be a wakeup call for Canada

Opinion: Biden’s executive order on competition should be a wakeup call for CanadaCanadian competition authorities continue to deny our competition realities and it is unclear whether we will take any inspiration from Biden’s executive orderdlvr.it

I also made a handy chart contrasting the Executive Order with the Canadian context. Feel free to use it for your own research/reference, or add to it.

Add to the chart

I also have a piece in the National Post. When antitrust makes headlines elsewhere, often many people assume Canada will mimic the intervention - probably because this country is very copy-and-paste. But it’s worth remembering that we’re taking a decidedly different approach when it comes to introducing new accountabilities for large technology firms.

National Post @nationalpost

Vass Bednar: France fining Google 500 million euros a stark contrast to Canada's complacent competition policy

Vass Bednar: France fining Google 500 million euros a stark contrast to Canada’s complacent competition policyEarlier this week, France’s competition regulator ( the Autorité de la concurrence ) fined Google an eye-watering 500 million euros for allegedly failing to…nationalpost.com

As always, thanks for reading + sharing, and for your feedback. I’m learning a lot and I love it.

And I listened to this new Angel Olsen song…a lot. 🎶

Vass Bednar is the Executive Director of McMaster University’s new Master of Public Policy in Digital Society Program.

regs to riches