The Canadian Bar Association : Competition Law, Policy, and Environmental Considerations (Recording)

Lawson A.W. Hunter, K.C.

Stikeman Elliott LLP
Ottawa, ON

Lawson Hunter is one of Canada's renowned regulatory and government relations counsel, drawing on a wide range of experience in business, government and private practice. Most recently, Lawson was recognized as the 2016 recipient of the Chambers Canada Lifetime Achievement award for his prominent practice and global reputation as a leading life-time practitioner and influential member of the Canadian bar. Formerly Canada's senior civil servant in charge of competition policy and enforcement, Lawson was primarily responsible for the drafting of the federal Competition Act. From 1993 to 2003, he was a partner of Stikeman Elliott and head of the firm's Competition/Antitrust Group. From 2003 to 2008, he served as executive vice-president and chief corporate officer of Bell Canada and BCE Inc., where he was responsible for overseeing regulatory, governmental relations and corporate affairs. In September 2008, he rejoined the Ottawa office of Stikeman Elliott as counsel. From April 2010 - May 2012, Lawson assumed the role of head of the Competition and Foreign Investment Group and recently returned to his role as counsel. Lawson advises a wide variety of Canadian and multinational corporations on all aspects of federal regulatory law and policy. This includes foreign investment legislation, anti-dumping and international trade, telecommunications law and Heritage Canada issues, in addition to competition/antitrust matters. He is particularly noted for his experience as an advisor on the regulatory aspects of mergers and acquisitions. Lawson is a graduate of the Directors' Education Program of the Institute of Corporate Directors and is highly experienced in matters of corporate governance. He has served as a director of major telecommunications and IT companies such as CGI Group and Bell Aliant and is a former chair and trustee of Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund. Lawson was appointed by C.D. Howe Institute as a Senior Fellow specializing in regulatory and competition policy, and has been appointed to their National Council which advises the Institute's research program. He was honoured with Lexpert's Zenith Award: Celebrating Leadership Through Change, recognizing lawyers who have been change-agents in their profession for forty or more years. While in private practice, Lawson has consistently been ranked in national and international surveys as one of Canada's and the world's leading counsel on regulatory matters.

Paul Johnson

Rideau Economics
Ottawa, ON

Paul A. Johnson, PhD has nearly 20 years of experience in competition economics. Dr. Johnson's experience spans a wide range of industries and all areas of competition economics including mergers and acquisitions, monopolistic practices, cartels, deceptive marketing practices, class certification, and calculation of damages. He is currently the owner of Rideau Economics, located in Ottawa. Dr. Johnson served a three-year tenure as the chief economist at the Competition Bureau where he worked with case teams, worked on special projects, directly engaged with stakeholders, and advised the Commissioner of Competition on all significant antitrust matters. He was a principal contributor to the Bureau's outreach efforts on emerging competition issues related to big data. Prior to his appointment at the Competition Bureau Dr. Johnson was a Partner in the antitrust practice at Bates White Economic consulting in Washington, DC. At Bates White, he worked on civil antitrust litigation and on high-profile mergers before US and European antitrust agencies in a wide range of industries. Dr. Johnson has a PhD in economics from Université de Montréal and a BA in economics from the University of North Carolina. He is bilingual in French and English and can provide consulting services in either language.

Denisa Mertiri

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Toronto, ON

Denisa Mertiri is a lawyer and founder of Green Earth Law where she practices in the areas of environmental law, municipal law, and civil litigation. Denisa provides innovative, expert guidance for leaders in industry, government and not-for-profits to innovate with impact on critical environmental issues. Denisa’s clients include provincial governments and municipalities, private companies, and public interest groups. The focus of her practice is on advancing waste management, single-use reduction, circular economy and extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws and policies. Denisa has worked with the City of Toronto and other municipalities in Ontario, Canada, on their circular economy transitions, and regularly advises government and industry on liabilities related to environmental and waste management activities.