Canadian Competition Act Amendments Address Online Fraudulent Contests

On June 21, 2002, amendments to the Competition Act came into force. The amendments include allowing private parties to apply directly to the Competition Tribunal to address matters regardingrefusal to deal, tied selling, exclusive dealing and market restrictions. In addition, the amendments include a new provision that deals with the sending of a deceptive notice of winning a prize (S. 53). The amendments make such act a criminal offence if the notice gives the recipient the general impression that he or she has won a "prize" and the recipient is asked or given the option to pay money or incur a cost in order to obtain the prize. This provision applies to notices sent by any means includingemail. The Government of Canada has announced that these new provisions will "strengthen and modernize Canada's competition laws in the face of a rapidly changing global economy." For additional information including a summary of the changes prepared by the government, visit: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/ct02392e.html For a copy of the Competition Act (as of July 18th, it does not include the recent amendments), visit: http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/C-34/32734.html.