Online Consumer Protection: a Study on Regulatory Jurisdiction in Canada

Author

Roger Tassé, O.C., Q.C. Maxime Faille

Organization

Office of Consumer Affairs

Published

2001

Summary

The benefits of e-commerce, for consumers and business alike, have been oft-recognized. The public policy trend in Canada, both federally and provincially, has been to encourage the growth of e-commerce, by modernizing a legal infrastructure created in an era of, and designed for, paper transactions, brick-and-mortar storefronts, and itinerant salesmen. Public policy also recognizes the dangers associated with electronic commerce, and to consumers in particular, and there are commensurate initiatives to seek to modernize consumer protection laws.

It is hoped that this paper can also contribute to the discussions on these important topics by focussing on another neglected aspect of these broader issues, namely their application to Canada's federal system of government. Pursuant to its mandate, and while informed by the broader international context, the paper is largely devoted to discussion of regulatory jurisdictional issues within Canada as between the Canadian provinces and territories.

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Source: Consumer Policy Research Database