In a letter to Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, six lobby groups expressed “serious concerns” about the government bundling Competition Act changes into Bill C-59, which implements the Fall Economic Statement (FES). The signatories were the Business Council of Canada, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Canadian Marketing Association and Retail Council of Canada. (The Logic)

Talking point: The Liberals’ FES, tabled last November, promised to give the Competition Bureau new powers to address firms abusing their dominance or doing deals designed to take out potential rivals, as well as to let more firms launch cases against one another via a private right of action. Lawyers and reform advocates have called for such changes. The business groups say they’re game for updates to the Competition Act, but Ottawa should take more time to develop proposals based on feedback from earlier consultations. Otherwise, they warn, “few companies, foreign or domestic, will seek to make significant investments” in Canada.