Canada’s news cartel and social media link tax breaks an open internet and harms digital journalism
This week, I was invited on The News Forum’s “Daily,” a Canadian daily news show, to discuss the impact of C-18, which allows a media cartel to force social networks to pay a “link tax” for allowing articles on their platforms. At the Consumer Choice Center, my colleague David Clement has previously written about this […]
Ottawa’s Concerning Escalation Against Big Tech Threatens Citizen Engagement
Ottawa, ON – This week Canada’s Heritage Committee moved forward a Liberal motion that will require tech companies like Alphabet (Google) and Meta (Facebook) to hand over their internal and external correspondence in regards to Ottawa’s Bill C-18, which would require these companies for pay publishers when news links are posted on their platform. In […]
$143 Million Cannabis Bust Confirms Diversion From Medical Program To Illegal Marke
On October 22nd, Ontario Provincial Police announced that they have seized $143 million worth of illegal cannabis in the last 4 months. In addition to that, police confirmed that the seized cannabis was a result of criminal networks exploiting Health Canada’s medical cannabis personal and designate production regime. David Clement, Toronto based North American affairs manager […]
Ontario’s cannabis curbside pick-up and delivery options to end with emergency measures
“It is completely unacceptable that the province is making the cannabis market less consumer friendly,” says David Clement, North American affairs manager for the Consumer Choice Center Ontario cannabis retailers have had to be flexible through a series of evolving regulations through the COVID-19 pandemic. When emergency measures were implemented, some were delighted that cannabis was deemed […]
Ontario to allow cannabis retailers to sell online and over the phone
Cannabis retailers will soon be able to sell products online or over the phone for in-store pick-up as the Ontario government adopts a “click-and-connect” sales model to expand access to legal marijuana. Finance Minister Rod Phillips announced the proposed changes in the government’s fall economic statement Wednesday, saying they will decrease waits for cannabis and […]
Ontario cannabis lottery was a disaster. It should be the last
Ontario’s second cannabis retail lottery on Aug. 20 was set up to license an additional 42 stores, which would bring the province’s retail market to the unreasonably low total of 75 stores. Compare that to Alberta, which has 277 licensed cannabis retailers to serve a population of 4.3 million (30 per cent of Ontario’s). The […]
BRAUN: Beer and wine in subway newsstand shops?
Turns out the posters are from Choice and Fairness, a collective of convenience and other stores, craft beer and wine retailers and consumers, all working together (and in tandem with the Ontario government) to expand sales of beer, wine and cider. The Retail Council of Canada, Convenience Industry Council of Canada, Ontario Convenience Stores Association […]
Opinion: The Liberals are blowing smoke with claim they ‘wiped out’ half of illegal cannabis market
Opinion: About 80% of all cannabis bought in Canada is being purchased on the illegal market, far from the 50% figure claimed The federal election is just a few months away, which means Canadians are going to be bombarded with claims from the government about its apparent successes, while at the same time hearing endless […]
Breakenridge: Paying for plasma — the rules need an update
A poll commissioned by the Consumer Choice Centre and released last week showed that 63 per cent of Canadians — including 65 per cent of Albertans — believe that the compensation of plasma donors is morally appropriate. Read more here
Canadians support paying blood plasma donors – survey
A majority of Canadians support paying people for donations of plasma, which are blood products used to make specialized medicines, a new poll has found. Sixty-three per cent of Canadians endorse the idea as “morally appropriate” while support is strongest, at 75 per cent, among those between the ages of 18-34. But a narrow majority […]
Luxembourg to be first European country to legalise cannabis
Two representatives of the Consumer Choice Centre, a US-based NGO, travelled to Luxembourg in April to offer their advice on legislation. One area of contention is whether to ban the use of cannabis in public, which risks discriminating against tenants and people of limited means. The officials recommended allowing use of the drug in specific […]
Legal weed is a lot more expensive than your dealer: Statistics Canada
“The data from Stats Can is troubling, because it shows that the legal market is getting less competitive over time,” said David Clement, the North American affairs manager at Consumer Choice Center. “Luckily there are some simple solutions that could be enacted to help the legal market compete when it comes to price. The federal […]
