Canada: too cosy by half.

In one time goodwill gesture, Ryan comments on Canada’s extortionate anti-competitive corporate culture.

So, when I call to say “Hey you guys missed something” I don’t expect to be informed that YOU’RE doing ME a favour by fixing your own mistake.

I’m from the UK, and “let me tell you”, (in a stern voice), few Canadian companies would exist in competition with UK firms.

In the UK, broadband is practically or actually free. Banking is deregulated. You get decent interest on your current account. Credit on a pay-as-you-go does not expire. You can buy beer and wine from practically any shop.
I’m told Canada’s government is massive. And inefficient. No wonder: it has to “control” all these industries.

Still. There’s a glimmer of hope. Local Number Portability is coming to Canada (the UK has had LNP for 10 years.) LNP is the first crack in Canada’s Government 1.0. Canada has a long long way to go though and competitiveness drives innovation.

For Canada to compete on a global basis it has to get to a low cost base. How is it going to do this when you have monopolies such as LCBO and cosy oligopolies such as Bell, Rogers, Telus?