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Province Proposes Legislation that would mean More Fair Treatment for Consumers

Proposed legislation introduced today would help ensure Manitobans would be treated more fairly by holding businesses accountable for unfair practices such as false statements and pressure sales tactics, Tourism, Culture, Heritage, Sport and Consumer Protection Minister Ron Lemieux has announced.

“Consumers deserve protection from unfair practices when they are purchasing services or products from businesses,” Minister Lemieux said.  “Unscrupulous businesses need to know they will be held accountable for false or misleading statements and that they can’t unduly pressure consumers into making a purchase.”

Proposed changes to the Business Practices Act would include clearly defining what is considered an unfair practice or misrepresentation such as:

• holding goods belonging to a consumer as leverage to renegotiate the terms of a transaction,
• using aggressive and intimidating sales tactics to pressure a consumer to enter into a transaction, or
• taking advantage of a consumer when the business knows the consumer is unable or incapable of protecting their own interests because of illiteracy or a language barrier.

The Consumer Protection Office (CPO) receives more than 15,000 calls or emails a year from consumers and businesses seeking information about their rights or obligations and handles an average of 1,000 formal complaints each year.  Many of these calls concern allegations that a transaction was misleading or takes advantage of a consumer who is either unaware of their rights or otherwise vulnerable to aggressive sales tactics.

Proposed changes in the legislation would give the CPO more options to bring closure to complaints.  Currently, the options include mediation or a formal prosecution for unfair business practices. 

The proposed changes would also allow the CPO to order or encourage a supplier to correct or retract a false or misleading advertisement.  A supplier could also be ordered to post a director’s order in its business premises.  The director could also inspect a business to determine if it has complied with the legislation.

Manitoba made a significant commitment to consumer protection with the Let’s Make a Better Deal five-year strategy, and modernizing the language and processes of the Business Practices Act is consistent with that strategy, the minister said.