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By: Staff Writer

Posted: 02/8/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies) | Last Modified: 02/8/2012 10:45 AM | Updates

Why charge more here? They can

OTTAWA -- There are many reasons why retailers charge consumers more in Canada than they do in the United States, but one is simply that they can, witnesses told a Senate committee Tuesday.

Representatives of Canada's manufacturers and consumer-advocacy groups focused on the lack of competition in Canada's retail sector as a key component for the price gap between the countries.

Bruce Cran of the Consumers Association of Canada told the committee he is somewhat baffled by what has happened over the last five years, a period during which the loonie gained about 50 per cent in purchasing power as it has risen to parity with the U.S. dollar. "How can a snowmobile that's made in Quebec sell for a third less in the United States?" Cran asked.

The Senate finance committee has called a variety of witnesses, from government officials to industry groups. Factors they have heard included transportation costs, higher tariffs on imports, higher minimum wages paid by retailers and higher taxes on such items as gasoline, alcohol and tobacco.

PM unveils China tourism bid

BEIJING -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a new Canadian tourism marketing campaign in China today during the first full day of his trade mission there, urging Chinese travellers to spend their tourism dollars in Canada.

Harper launched the new tourism campaign -- which highlights Canada's West, including the Calgary Stampede -- at the official opening of the Canadian Tourism Commission's newly outfitted marketing centre in the heart of Beijing.

Traveller demand, however, continues to exceed airline supply, so new routes and additional flights for existing ones are being explored. Harper said Air Canada is working with Air China to boost service and help meet demand.

The tourism sector contributed nearly $15 billion to the Canadian economy in 2010.

Bell Aliant bullish on growth

BELL Aliant Inc. expects to stay on a path to growth in 2012 with higher revenues driven by its fibre optic network for digital TV and high-speed Internet services, chief executive Karen Sheriff said Tuesday.

"We expect the year-over-year performance in 2012 to be better than what we achieved in 2011," Sheriff told analysts on a conference call.

Bell Aliant expects revenues in 2012 to be between $2.7 billion and $2.78 billion, compared with $2.775 billion in 2011, Sheriff said.

Halliburton drops BlackBerry

ENERGY services giant Halliburton Co.'s move to replace BlackBerry smartphones with Apple's iPhones continues a trend that has been eating away at Research In Motion's dominant position in the workplace, analysts said Tuesday.

In another shot to the troubled Canadian smartphone maker, the company said Tuesday it will phase out 4,500 BlackBerrys from its operations and replace them with iPhones over two years.

"... It's indicative of a long-term trend that RIM is fighting against," said technology analyst Alkesh Shah of Evercore Partners.

Halliburton said it was making the change after deciding Apple's technology works better with the programs it uses in the field.

Maple Leaf shuts Ont. plant

TORONTO -- Maple Leaf Foods is closing a chicken processing plant in Ayr, Ont., in a move that will result in the net loss of about 100 jobs.

The company said Tuesday the streamlining is part of a plan to consolidate the company's poultry operations at its Brantford and Mississauga, Ont., plants.

"We have an immediate opportunity to increase efficiency and capacity utilization in our value-added poultry business, which this consolidation will achieve," Maple Leaf president and chief executive Michael McCain said.

-- from the news services

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 8, 2012 B6

History

Updated on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:45 AM CST: corrects headline

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