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Meet the Competition Bureau Workshop
June 24, 2015
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The Workshop provided a unique opportunity for Alberta-based corporate leaders who may become involved in mergers and acquisitions in the future to understand the Competition Bureau’s merger review process. The Workshop featured presentations by experienced Bureau staff and a luncheon address by the Commissioner of Competition, John Pecman, one of the few visits to Alberta by the head of the Competition Bureau. There was an afternoon session led by Lawson Hunter, QC, one of Canada’s leading experts on the review process under the Investment Canada Act.
Thank you to our Sponsors:
Breakfast Sponsor: Dentons
Norton Rose Fulbright
Global Public Affairs
WORKSHOP PROGRAM
08:00 – 08:30 | Registration and Continental Breakfast sponsored by Dentons Canada LLP |
08:30 – 08:45 | Welcome – Peter Wallis President and CEO, Van Horne Institute |
Setting the Context – Harry Chandler, Administrator, Market Surveillance Administrator | |
Brief remarks on the common interests and goals of the Competition Bureau and Market Surveillance Administrator, the importance of merger review to maintain effective competitive markets and the extra wrinkle of the Investment Canada Act. | |
08:45 – 10:00 | “On Ramps and Off Ramps in The Bureau’s Review of Mergers”
This opening session set the stage for a discussion of the analytics and key competition issues in Mergers 101 (Session 2) by introducing the Competition Bureau and highlighting the key steps and timelines of merger review. Participants learn how to avoid rookie mistakes and develop an understanding of the Bureau’s merger review process that will stand you in good stead. |
Speaker: | Gordon Fraser, A/Senior Competition Law Officer, Cartels and Deceptive Marketing Practices Branch, Vancouver |
Discussant: | Rujuta Patel, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP |
10:00 – 10:30 | Coffee / Networking sponsored by Global Public Affairs |
10:30 – 12:00 | Mergers 101: An Introduction to Merger Review from Competition Bureau and Private Practitioner Perspectives This presentation covered the legal and economic framework within which the Competition Bureau analyzes and reviews mergers in Canada, including remedies to address competition concerns and the interface with other government agencies. In addition to commenting on significant recent cases (some of which involved markets in Alberta), the panelists offered practical advice on how to navigate the Bureau review process from start to finish through playing out a hypothetical merger case. |
Speaker: | Lourdes DaCosta, Senior Competition Law Officer, Mergers and Monopolistic Practices Branch, Toronto |
Discussant: | Sandy Walker, Partner, Dentons Canada LLP |
12:00 – 13:15 | Buffet Luncheon sponsored by Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP |
12:45 – 13:15 | Keynote Luncheon Address: The Competition Bureau: Supporting a thriving, productive…and competitive economy |
John Pecman, Commissioner of Competition, Competition Bureau of Canada | |
13:15 – 14:30 | Investment Canada Act and Mergers and Acquisitions
Faced with a challenging economic climate, corporate leaders in Alberta may also need to prepare for the possibility of navigating foreign investment reviews. This session provided an insider’s perspective on the key issues surrounding the Investment Canada Act and outlines the latest developments and possible business ramifications for Alberta of an evolving review regime. This was a must hear panel that shed light on the discretionary and opaque nature of foreign investment control and what it means for the marketing and sale of Alberta assets. |
Speaker: | Lawson Hunter QC, Counsel, Stikeman Elliott |
Discussant: | Angela Avery, General Counsel & Vice President Legal and Business Development, ConocoPhillips Canada Pierre Alvarez, Vice-Chair, Global Public Affairs |
Location:
University of Calgary Downtown Campus, 906 – 8th Avenue S.W
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