‘Vestige of the past’: Competition Bureau mulls scrapping ‘efficiencies’ defence in merger laws
Advocates had argued that the law was crucial as consolidation can be more beneficial than competition, but its value appears to have diminished in the digital economy April 30, 201910:51 AM EDT With the Competition Bureau poised to release new guidelines on the role of efficiencies in merger reviews, Canada’s unique “efficiencies” defence, which allows […]
Billions of dollars in taxes could go up in smoke as $13.5B judgment weighs on tobacco industry
Industry’s demise would hit nation’s finances, the revenue stream cigarette sales provide to Aboriginal people, and lead to a potential boom in illicit tobacco trade May 13, 2019 12:50 PM EDT A $13.5 billion judgment against Canada’s Big Three tobacco companies has forced them into the largest and most complicated restructuring proceedings this country has […]
New Competition Bureau commissioner targets telecom, pharma and infrastructure industry
The Bureau is in the final stages of hiring a chief digital enforcement officer, with the mandate to improve and modernize the regulator’s approach to digital enforcement May 23, 2019 10:44 AM EDT Less than three months after his appointment as Canada’s Commissioner of Competition, Matthew Boswell’s presence is already being felt. Boswell, a former […]
Pension industry welcomes clarity around electronic communications
May 22, 2019 Plan administrators are welcoming the increased clarity accompanying the amendment of Ontario’s Pension Benefits Act to allow for the electronic designation of beneficiaries and the re-issue of the Canadian Association of Pension Supervisory Authorities’ guideline No. 2, which establishes best practices for electronic communications in the pension industry. “Clarity on the ability to […]
The Canadian Connection
Canadian lawyers act on Caster Semenya’s important case with the Olympic Committee May 29, 2019Lexpert Magazine May 2019 Issue Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP is, without doubt, an iconic Canadian business law firm, a mainstay of tradition and a proud bearer of corporate Canada’s colours when the need for legal expertise arises. Which makes it […]
B is for ‘bachelor,’ not progress
Monday, June 10, 2019 No question about it, diversity and gender equality are all the rage in the profession — and it’s the clients that are driving the horses, with in-house counsel expected to lead both by way of example and by way of shutting out law firms who aren’t sensitive enough to the call. […]
Don’t fall for the old ‘It’s standard’ line from a real estate agent. There’s nothing standard about their forms
Even when caught up in bidding wars, don’t rush it. You may end up signing documents that let the vendors off the hook for myriad issues July 18, 2018 If unaffordable prices, bidding wars and news that the real estate industry is supplying questionable statistics to the public isn’t enough, homebuyers must also deal with […]
Are elements of U.S. pension reform worthy of Canadian consideration?
February 13, 2020 The first major reform to the U.S. retirement system in a decade, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, contains provisions that could be useful guides for Canadian legislators and regulators. Signed into law by President Donald Trump in December, the act, known as SECURE, is primarily aimed at addressing […]
Is scrutiny on the rise for long-term disability claims?
Julius Melnitzer | June 17, 2019 A recent RBC Insurance Services Inc. study found 45 percent of employees on disability claimed their workplaces pressured them to go back earlier than they felt they were able to do so. This is a significant increase from the 33 per cent of respondents who said the same in the previous year’s […]
Law firms falling down on physical data security
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 @ 10:55 AM | By Julius Melnitzer Forget cybersecurity — because law firms, it appears, can’t even keep their desks clean. Notwithstanding all the noise coming from C-suite types and in-house counsel about the critical nature of data protection, a recent survey from Oakville, Ont.,-based Shred-it — which is, somewhat ironically, […]