October 5, 2025Welcome to Letters from CAMP, a newsletter on anti-monopoly activity in Canada and abroad, brought to you by the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project. In this instalment we have:
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Hawk Talk: Joly Sends Strong Message on CompetitionIn a speech at the Competition Bureau’s 2025 Competition Summit, Industry Minister Melanie Joly said the current government will be “hawkish” to drive affordability. For the Minister’s first major public appearance related to competition, this is good news. But talking a good game is the easiest part of the fight against monopoly. The real test will be whether the Minister backs that tough talk up with real action. Her first opportunity to make good on that front? Hiring a hawk Commissioner of Competition to lead the Competition Bureau when current Commissioner Boswell’s term expires early next year. It’s clear why the government wants to send a strong signal on competition and the cost of living. Affordability is the top issue on the minds of Canadians these days, and in key sectors like grocery, banking, and telecommunications, anti-competitive monopolies cost Canadians billions every year. Under Commissioner Boswell, the Competition Bureau has made huge strides in protecting Canadian consumers and businesses. From investigating anti-competitive practices in grocery, real estate, and gas stations, to standing up to Big Tech firms like Google and their monopoly over the online advertising market. CAMP would be glad to see Boswell stick around, but he’s been Commissioner since 2019, and a more assertive Bureau cannot be the legacy of a single Commissioner. It needs to become the norm. To be a true competition hawk, the next Commissioner must have a vision for how the Competition Bureau can play a role in improving both sides of the affordability equation. The Bureau can break down monopolies in the markets that matter to everyday Canadians – grocery, banking, airlines, and telecom – while improving paycheques by tackling monopolies in labour markets that can suppress wages. There will be powerful voices saying that what Canada needs is a dovish Commissioner, to placate the dealmakers and attract “investments” that sell off Canada and sell out Canadians. Canadians cannot afford this. Personnel is policy. If this government truly wants to be hawkish on competition, hiring a hawk Commissioner is the first step. 📰 CAMP in the News 📰
Do Not Pass Go: Subscribe to Canada’s Newest Anti-Monopoly News OutfitCAMP doesn’t have a monopoly on Canada’s anti-monopoly space, and we’re not looking to build one. We need people and organizations of all kinds involved in the fight against monopoly. That’s why we’re pleased to bring to your attention the launch of Do Not Pass Go, a new anti-monopoly reporting outfit helmed by veteran journalist Peter Nowak. With a background in fighting for the little guy in monopolized markets like telecom, Peter is bringing deep reporting and research experience to monopoly and competition issues across the economy. Canadians depend on journalists of all kinds to expose and understand the monopolies around us, and Do Not Pass Go is a welcome edition amid the news industry’s ongoing struggles. The outfit is off to a strong start, landing and interview with Commissioner Boswell for one of their first episodes. We’re keeping this segment short because Peter’s work speaks for itself and we encourage you to check it out and subscribe. We need all the eyes we can get on Canada’s monopoly problem, and Do Not Pass Go is set to make an important and independent contribution to accurate coverage of the monopolies that make up our economy. 📚 What We’re Reading 📚
Delisting the CompetitionThis week the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced they are suing Zillow and Redfin, two major players in the internet listing service (ILS) market, websites that list rental units used by prospective tenants. The FTC alleges that Zillow paid Redfin $100 million USD to stop competing for apartment listings, gradually handing their advertising clients, listings, and even their employees over to Zillow. This is, plainly put, about as anti-competitive as it gets. The FTC argues that this conduct harms both tenants and landlords, and represents a de facto consolidationof the ILS market, of which Zillow already had nearly 50% market share. This consolidation-by-another name made it easier for Zillow to raise its prices for rental advertisers and drop access to similar services offered by Redfin. For renters, the lack of competition reduced incentives to improve the user experience and offer innovative features. Years ago, firms like Zillow and Redfin were the good guys in an important Canadian competition law case. After a long court fight that ended in 2018, Toronto Real Estate Board (now the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board) lost the ability to keep these innovative companies out of the real estate market by denying them access to critical housing data. But in the world of monopolies, if you don’t die a hero, you just might live long enough to become the villain. This isn’t the only time Zillow has come under fire for anti-competitive practices in the U.S. Earlier this year, Compass, another listing firm, sued Zillow for preventing listing from being posted on multiple board calling them a “monopolist gatekeeper”. This new case is a reminder that protecting competition requires constant vigilance. Without effective enforcement, yesterday’s challenger is more than happy to become tomorrow’s monopolist. If you have any monopoly tips or stories you’d like to share, drop us a line at hello@antimonopoly.ca
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