Rotman Debate: Are Canada's So-Called "Oligopolies" Holding Us Back?

Debate Proposition: Canada’s so-called corporate “oligopolies” are standing in the way of a dynamic Canadian economy.

Are Canada’s so-called corporate “oligopolies” standing in the way of a more dynamic economy, or are large, scaled firms essential to driving investment, innovation, and stability? In sectors such as banking, telecommunications, grocery, airlines and beyond, Canada’s market concentration is often criticized for stifling competition, yet others argue that these structures provide the strength needed to support growth and resilience in the relatively small Canadian market.

This debate will bring together contrasting voices from a wide array of perspectives to examine what Canada’s competition agenda should look like. Are concentrated industries holding back productivity, affordability, and consumer choice—or are they a necessary platform for national competitiveness and stability? The debate will deliver candid, spirited, and thought-provoking insights on this critical issue at a moment when Canada is confronting fundamental questions about the future of its economy.

ARGUING FOR THE PROPOSITION WILL BE:

Anthony Durocher, Deputy Commissioner, Competition Promotion Branch, Competition Bureau of Canada

Robin Shaban, Founding Partner, 2R Strategy; Co-founder, Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project

ARGUING AGAINST THE PROPOSITION WILL BE:

Hon. Erin O'Toole P.C., C.D., President, ADIT North America; Former Leader, Conservative Party of Canada

Dany Assaf, Co-chair, Tory’s Competition and Foreign Investment Review Practice

MODERATOR: Anne Gaviola, Senior Digital Broadcast Journalist, Global News

Anthony Durocher is Deputy Commissioner of the Competition Promotion Branch at the Competition Bureau of Canada, where he champions competition as a driver of innovation, growth, and consumer welfare. He oversees the Bureau’s advocacy, policy, communications, international affairs, economic analysis, and corporate planning. A frequent speaker in the media, at conferences, and before Parliamentary committees, he brings over 20 years of competition enforcement and policy leadership. Mr. Durocher has also served as Deputy Commissioner of the Monopolistic Practices Directorate and Assistant Deputy Commissioner of the Mergers Directorate. He holds a Bachelor of Economics from McGill University and a Master of Economics from the University of British Columbia.

Robin Shaban, PhD is a Canadian economist and public policy expert. They are a founding Partner at 2R Strategy, a consulting firm specializing in economic analysis and strategic foresight that helps clients create strategies to overcome complex and existential challenges. With a focus on promoting inclusive economic growth in Canada, Robin has published several original research reports and is a frequent public speaker and media commentator.

They are co-founder and chair of the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project, a think tank dedicated to addressing pressing issues caused by monopoly power in Canada. Robin has fellow roles at the Public Policy Forum and Social Capital Partners. In 2021, Robin received a Changemaker Award from The Globe and Mail for their efforts to advance public policy centered on social justice and their academic work on competition policy.

Robin holds a doctorate in public policy from the School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University, with competition policy as the topic of their dissertation. They hold a master’s degree in economics from Queen’s University, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Alberta.

Erin O’Toole is President of ADIT North America and serves on the executive committee of ADIT Group in Paris. ADIT is a leading global business intelligence and diplomacy firm. Erin served as Leader of the Conservative Party and Minister during his decade in politics. He is now a Distinguished Fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington and comments on geopolitical and economic issues in Canada. He also hosts the Blue Skies podcast.

Dany Assaf is co-chair of Tory's Competition and Foreign Investment Review Practice, advising clients on competition law and foreign investment matters, including national security reviews. He has been involved in many of Canada's highest-profile transactions, including DuPont/Dow merger, the Supreme Court of Canada Tervita efficiencies case, the Interac case, GE/Honeywell, and Rio Tinto/Alcan.

Dany co-authored Competition and Antitrust Law: Canada and The United States (5th edition) for LexisNexis Butterworths and was recently appointed as vice chair of the ABA Thought Leadership in Antitrust Law & Academia Task Force. He has taugh and lectured at major Canadian universities and frequently comments in Canadian media. He sits on boards of the Conference Board of Canada, Canada's Sport Hall of Fame, Unity Health, and The Toronto Club and is a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal.

Anne Gaviola is a Senior Digital Broadcast Journalist who is a national anchor, reporter and host at Global News. Based in Toronto, she has been covering the business beat for more than 15 years and her areas of interest include behavioural finance, disruptive technology, housing and the future of work. Anne’s career in journalism includes experience at CTV, BNN Bloomberg, VICE, CBC and The Weather Network.

This event is available to attend in-person only.

Rotman Events is committed to accessibility for all people. If you have any access needs or if there are any ways we can support your full participation in this session, please email Megan Murphy [ZXZlbnRzIHwgcm90bWFuICEgdXRvcm9udG8gISBjYQ==] no later than 2 weeks in advance of the event and we will be glad to work with you to make the appropriate arrangements.

• The event will be hosted at Desautels Hall at the Rotman School of Management (105 St. George St., Toronto, ON M5S 3E6). Your registration fee includes a seat at the session and the reception.

Questions: ZXZlbnRzIHwgcm90bWFuICEgdXRvcm9udG8gISBjYQ==, Megan Murphy

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