The Canadian government has unilaterally amended the Competition Act with a number of welcome pro-enforcement changes, but competition lawyers are looking forward to a promised second round of amendments that will involve more public input.

Round one of the amendments, which came into force late last month, was part of a larger budget bill and included no input from lawyers or other stakeholders. Omar Wakil, co-chair of the competition and foreign investment review practice at Canadian firm Torys, called the first phase a "down payment" on what's to come, although he added that the changes are "significant and meaningful."