Written responses from individuals to the consultation on Enforcement guidance on wage-fixing and no poaching agreements

These are excellent amendments. I believe the amendments will protect people better if they should choose to leave jobs (particularly people who may be working in jobs that are toxic or low paying).

Your act is basically saying any unions with a collective wage agreement with several / many other employers is basically price fixing...wages cannot be negotiated with individual employees and all hiring is usually done through a central dispatch hall controlled by the union.

Had used engineering math for over 30 years to increase profits and resolved issues within the companies operation while only receiving a 9 dollar an hour wage with no chance of raises while the older and or companies relatives had 22 dollars an hour wages for doing nothing while all the work was done by lower paying employees.

After a previous employer fired me due to discriminatory practices (they would not accommodate a health issue they knew i had upon hire). I interviewed with another employer in a similar field, the role would include servicing a different demographic. I did not mention anythint negative about the original employer in the recorded virtual interview with employet #2. I vaguely discussed some of my experience and ways which my skillset and previous role would benefit this new role. I was more than qualified for this position Shortly after the interview, I received another letter from employer #1 with a copy of the non competition clause I'd signed upon hire at old job. I had already been sent a copy of this non comp form both physically and virtually a month prior. It would not surprise me if the second employer did a verification check to previous employer and was threatened with the non competition clause, as it seemed it been used to intimidate me shortly after the interview. These practices are harmful to the economy and enable abusive employers.

While this is a much needed update on to competition act, there are many other aspects of the competition act that need attention. Specific to this update, I have concerns about 1) the vagueness of the penalties individuals will face, 2) the lack of clear actions on how this will be enforced Canada-wide, and 3) the swiftness that these cases will be handled. The fact that the extremely outdated and poorly implemented Competition Act has not addressed what the Act was supposed to do in the past decades does not give me faith that such amendments would make a difference, especially when other parts of the Act have not been utilized to protect the general consumer.

Specifically with respect to the no-poaching restrictions: No-Poaching clauses are a mainstay of commercial agreements. In practice it’s rare to see any such clause that doesn’t have an exemption permitting the hiring of employees who apply without solicitation, usually to a public posting. This is absolutely not something that requires any government interference in and to make this a CRIMINIAL offence is absolutely absurd and is just another egregious example of overreach by the current Federal government. The fact that there has apparently been zero consultation on this topic with stakeholders is completely disgusting; we should not be hearing about this nonsense mere months before the amendment is implemented. This whole exercise with respect to no-poaching clauses is a complete waste of taxpayer money; and to then make these standard commercial clauses criminal, is beyond inexcusable. Get your priorities straight.