B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton dead following prison attack
Convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who preyed on women he lured from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to his rural pig farm, has died.
Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. said they welcome the Competition Tribunal's dismissal of an effort by the Competition Bureau to block their $26-billion merger as they extended the closing date by a month, while the Commissioner of Competition said he's considering next moves.
The Competition Tribunal issued a notice late Thursday that it had determined the merger was not likely to result in higher prices for wireless customers in Western Canada, and that it was satisfied the plan to sell Shaw's Freedom Mobile to Quebecor Inc.'s Videotron was adequate to ensure competition isn't substantially reduced.
The decision clears a path for the deal to go ahead, requiring only approval from federal Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne.
"We are pleased with the favourable decision," said Rogers and Shaw in a joint statement. "We look forward to reviewing the details of the decision and working with the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry so we can clear the final regulatory hurdle to close these transactions."
The companies also thanked the Tribunal for its swift decision, as they had set a closing date for the deal of Dec. 31, but they said Friday they had extended the close to Jan. 31, 2023.
The head of the Competition Bureau, which had argued that the merger of the two telecommunications companies would lessen competition in the telecom market, trigger higher prices and lead to a worsening of service, expressed dismay at the Tribunal's decision.
"I am very disappointed that the Tribunal is dismissing our application to block the merger between Rogers and Shaw. We are carefully considering our next steps," said Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell in a statement.
Next steps could include an appeal of the Tribunal's decision to the Federal Court of Appeal.
The decision comes after weeks of hearings that wrapped Dec. 15 where the Competition Bureau pushed its case that the deal would significantly increase Rogers' national market share and power and that the sale of Freedom to Videotron was not enough to address the anti-competitive effects of the merger.
In a summary of its decision, the Tribunal said Videotron's entry into Western Canada would be able to offer prices at least as competitive as what was offered before the merger, while overall the deal is also likely to spur increased competition among the three major telecoms companies in the region.
"The merger and divestiture are not likely to result in materially higher prices, relative to those that would likely prevail in the absence of the arrangement," the Tribunal said.
The decision shows the limits of Canada's merger laws, said Keldon Bester, co-founder of the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project, in a statement.
"Though the decision is disappointing, it is ultimately a product of Canada's permissive and outdated merger laws," he said.
He said the federal government still has an opportunity to protect the interests of Canadians by clarifying and strengthening the criteria for approval that Minister Champagne set out in Oct., including more aggressive pricing targets, timelines to meet them and consequences for not doing so.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2022.
Convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who preyed on women he lured from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to his rural pig farm, has died.
Two young children and three adults were seriously injured in a major collision on Highway 417 between Palladium Drive and Carp Road in Ottawa's west end Friday afternoon.
The Department of National Defence is moving approximately 1,000 employees out of an office building in Ottawa's Lowertown neighbourhood, citing safety concerns for its employees.
A newborn is dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to a woman in police custody.
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
After years of price increases and a decline in customers, fast food chains in the United States are competing with each other and offering value deals in hopes of bringing more foot traffic into their establishments.
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The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
A hefty donation by a renowned local activist to the University of Winnipeg has created what is believed to be the most comprehensive two-spirit archives in all of Canada.
Leanne Van Bergen discovered a skulk of 10 baby foxes, and two mothers, had made themselves at home on her property in Beausejour.
An 81-year-old Waterloo, Ont. woman thought she’d never ride a horse again after a brain bleed led to severe physical complications.
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.
Prince Edward Island is celebrating its first-ever International Day of Potato on Thursday.
The president of Covered Bridge Chips in New Brunswick is hoping to have his factory rebuilt for late 2025 following a devastating fire last year.
Students and staff at Winnipeg’s Westwood Collegiate had a unique problem to solve this month; how do you lead ducks to water from the school’s courtyard when 12 of them can’t fly yet?
Debby Lorinczy remembers her father as an amazing person and as a man who also made an amazing discovery.
Abigail Strate is a member of the Canadian national ski jumping team and an Olympic bronze medallist. She's also a certified beekeeper.