Gas Cartel #2
Mr. Daniel Thouin and the Association pour la protection automobile, with the help of the law firms Paquette Gadler Inc. and LeBel Avocats Inc. (now Bernier Beaudry Inc.), filed an application for authorization to institute a class action against 14 Respondents and were authorized, by a judgment rendered by the Honorable Judge Dominique Bélanger, jcs on September 6, 2012, to be representatives in this class action on behalf of the cities and municipalities mentioned in the next section.
Here are the 18 cities and municipalities affected by this class action:
- Coaticook
- Saint-Hyacinthe
- Trois-Rivières
- Drummondville
- Saint-Cyrille-de-Wendover
- Princeville
- Lac-Megantic
- Plessisville
- Quebec
- Levis
- Beauce region (the towns of Saint-Georges, Sainte-Marie, Scott, Saint-Anselme, Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbinière, Saint-Patrice-de-Beaurivage, Vallée-Jonction)
- Montmagny
- Loup River
On April 28, 2015, the Honorable Judge Bernard Godbout, j.c.s. issued a judgment permitting Plaintiffs/Representatives to question the Chief Investigator of the Competition Bureau. This judgment was appealed by the Attorney General of Canada and certain Defendants.
On December 22, 2015, the Quebec Court of Appeal rendered judgment and upheld the right for Plaintiffs/Representatives to question the Chief Investigator. This decision of the Court of Appeal was also appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada by the Attorney General of Canada and certain Defendants.
On May 24, 2017, a hearing was held in the Supreme Court to decide the question of Crown immunity and thus determine whether or not the chief investigator can be questioned. The Supreme Court is expected to render judgment in the coming months.