A Canadian Consumer Advocate
Consumers Council of Canada has recommended the Government of Canada act swiftly to keep its commitment to create a new agency to rebuild consumer confidence and protect consumers – the Canadian Consumer Advocate.
Governments Must Re-focus on Protecting People
Canadians are quickly learning how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed shopping, working, health care and their economic prospects. A safe marketplace has never been more important. Consumer confidence and fair market practices are critical to Canada’s economic recovery. Canada needs a plan – and fast – to restore both.
A National Agency for Consumers
Canadian consumers deserve a national agency that has the sole objective to argue for consumers, advance their needs, and stress the relationship of those needs to the decision-making processes within agencies of government.
The economy is for consumers, not just producers. The federal government should expand its current plan for the Canadian Consumer Advocate to ensure it is an independent agency answerable to Parliament through the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. The Advocate should be capable of promoting meaningful engagement with and on behalf of consumers.
Constant, Capable Advocacy Needed to Protect Consumer Protections
Canada needs its government to keep the promise it made in 2019 and hold ministers accountable for the mandate given to them to establish the Canadian Consumer Advocate and ensure it can capably protect consumers’ interests.
Related Publications
Time For A Real Federal Consumer Advocate – This report by the Consumers Council of Canada highlights the reasons and benefits for expanding the role of the Government of Canada’s proposed Canadian Consumer Advocate beyond receiving complaints. It argues the government needs to address the present patchwork and isolated responses to consumer needs and vulnerabilities, which will not meet the challenges consumers face in a post COVID-19 economic recovery, and beyond.
Consumers Council of Canada Parliamentary Submission: Federal Budget 2021 – A submission to the Standing Committee on Finance of the Parliament of Canada by the Consumers Council of Canada in response to its pre-budget consultations concerning the 2021 federal budget.
Super Complainers: Greater Public Inclusiveness in Government Consumer Complaint Handling – This research reveals consumer views on third-party consumer complaint management systems (consumer complaint handling systems operated by entities other than private-sector businesses) and their receptivity to alternative systems where greater transparency, and consumer advocacy group participation is encouraged.
A ‘Sustained Institutional Role’ for Consumer Organizations in ‘Internal Trade’ Harmonization – This research found the Canadian public expects well-resourced consumer groups to be part of any stakeholder process attached to negotiations among the federal and provincial governments concerning internal trade.
News About Consumer Representation
Minister Avoids Consumer Advocate Questions in Petition Response
The official government response to a public petition supporting a national consumer advocate avoided mentioning the advocate, its rationale or the reasons for its demise, and instead simply re-iterated a few long-standing consumer protection actions. A second...
How Regulatory Administrative Authorities Can Improve Consumer Engagement
In the 25 years since regulators began designating ‘administrative authorities’ operating at arm’s length from government, the resulting organizations have improved operations and transparency by following recommendations of past evaluations, according to a new...
Renewed Call for Canadian Consumer Advocate
A petition calling for the government to follow through on its commitment to establish a Canadian Consumer Advocate has been filed and certified. The petition was presented to the House of Commons by Jenna Sudds, MP from Kanata-Carleton on March 31, 2023. The petition...
Fragmented Consumer Protection Led to Call for Consumer Advocate
The Federal Government response to an Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) request includes a strong case for the establishment of the Canadian Consumer Advocate, some previously disclosed information about how the Advocate’s role could be expanded, but no...
Budget 2023 – Canada’s Consumer Initiatives
Newer initiatives such as commitments to clean energy technology, rebates for high grocery prices and dental care gained most of the attention, but the 2023 Federal budget also included numerous pledges to address long-standing consumer protection issues. Topics such...
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