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‘The only real resource is litigation’: consumer advocate

The former head of one of Canada’s most prominent consumer advocacy groups says the state of consumer protection in the country is grim — and in some cases, almost non-existent.

“The only real resource is litigation, but nobody can really afford that unless you’ve got deep pockets,” said Geoff White, the former executive director and general counsel of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC).

“In the industries … dominated by big companies, I’m afraid there is no such thing as consumer protection,” he said. He added that sectors like telecoms offer “very weak” protection for customers.

White said he left PIAC after going months without paying himself in order to keep the organization afloat amid a lack of funding from the federal government and what he described as “a lack of support” from the organization’s volunteer board of directors.

In an emailed statement, PIAC’s board said it was initially unaware White wasn’t paying himself and that, once members learned he was doing so, they “directed” him to “prioritize his compensation, but for months at a time he did not.”

“While the board appreciates that Mr. White’s intention was good, the effect was destabilizing for PIAC and ended with Mr. White and PIAC parting ways,” the statement said.

PIAC said it remains committed to advancing and protecting the interests of consumers across Canada despite funding pressures. The organization said it sent a letter to the ministers of industry and heritage about the precarity of public-interest advocacy organizations and the lack of funding.

White spoke at Marketplace‘s season finale, “What’s Wrong with Your Rights?” in front of a live studio audience at the Glenn Gould Theatre in Toronto on March 5.The hour-long finale airs on March 27 and focuses on the state of consumer rights and protection.

The finale included high-pressure trivia on consumer rights, an online scavenger hunt using videos to identify AI-generated content and a debate about the state of consumer protection in Canada.

Watch an excerpt of the scavenger hunt below.

Are these videos real or AI?:

Is consumer protection weak, fragmented and out of date?

White participated in the debate against Markus Giesler, a consumer researcher and professor at York University’s Schulich School of Business in Toronto.

White argued that consumer protection in Canada is weak, fragmented and out of date.

“Misleading, aggressive and deceptive marketing practices, over-selling, bill shock, constant price increases, shrink-flation, terrible customer service, lack of competitive choice, and the never-ending feeling that you’re a powerless, walking wallet constantly being taken advantage of. That’s the Canadian consumer experience,” he said.

“The baseline rules to protect consumers are weak. The institutions overseeing their development are hounded constantly by lobbyists and lawyers and the path to recourse is long, confusing and frustrating.”

Giesler argued that more competition and choice would serve people better than more rules.

“I don’t need to be protected from Rogers or Air Canada. I need a better airline. I need a better cell phone contract,” Giesler said.

“I want to be able to give small Canadian companies a chance and I currently can’t because there is so much red tape around market entry … we want more choices.”

Feds taking ‘hawkish’ approach to competition: parliamentary secretary

Karim Bardeesy, parliamentary secretary to Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, attended on her behalf. Joly is responsible for the Office of Consumer Affairs.

Bardeesy answered questions, including about why consumer rights are not the same across Canada.

“I think it’s a good thing that different areas are responsible for different things. You wouldn’t want the federal government to be responsible for how your street is cleaned,” he said.

He also said improving conditions for consumers requires both more competition and stronger protections.

“What we’re doing on the competition side is looking at a bunch of different markets … and saying we are going to be hawkish,” Bardeesy said. He noted that the government has given Competition Bureau Canada more resources and power.

“There’s no maximum penalty now for price fixing. That’s one example. But we know there’s also more that we can do.”

The Liberal MP for Taiaiako’n—Parkdale—High Park also pointed to an online resource called The Complaint Roadmap, which people can use to better understand their consumer rights and where to file a complaint.

Marketplace season finale tests consumer knowledge

The finale of Marketplace‘s 53rd season included a game show featuring consumer-rights trivia, with contestants answering questions about airlines, telecoms, banks and everything in between.

Contestants also watched videos and tried to determine whether they were real or AI-generated. Viewers can watch the episode at home and play along.

The newsletter will keep landing in your inbox, and new episodes will arrive in the fall when we return for Season 54.

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What else is going on?

Coke Canada Bottling terminates worker injured on the job, says keeping him would be too hard on the company

Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited cited a rare legal principle allowing it to terminate an injured worker.

Jury in Los Angeles finds Meta, YouTube liable in landmark social media addiction trial

Verdict in U.S. cases this week ‘gives us confidence,’ says lead attorney in Ontario lawsuit.

Meta’s smart glasses make it easy to secretly film people. It’s mostly women bearing the fallout

Laws around covert recording have struggled to keep pace with changing technology, law professor says.

OpenAI shuts down Sora app amid rising concerns about deepfakes and consent

Company is discontinuing app that let users share short AI-generated videos and led to a deal with Disney

As patents on weight-loss drugs expire, doctors and patients expect cheaper generics

Generic forms of semaglutide medications could be available in Canada within months, experts say.

Buying a radon monitor? How to make sure you purchase one that actually works

Experts warn not all radon monitors sold online or in stores are approved for use in Canada.

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