The recent passage of Bill 72, which will increase consumer protection against unscrupulous door-to-door salespeople, predatory lenders and merchants with questionable sales strategies, is a welcome development. merchants with dubious sales strategiesis very good news for Quebec consumers.
While we don't hesitate to criticize the work of elected officials when consumer rights are threatened, we feel it's important to highlight the government's commitment, and more specifically that of Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, to defending consumer rights with Bill 72.
What's more, this bill joins a series of other laws that have strengthened consumer protection in recent years.
Just last year, Bill 29 introduced a host of measures to improve the durability and repairability of appliances in Quebec. Not to mention the An Act to improve access to justice by enhancing the availability of free or low-cost legal servicesadopted in 2022, which authorizes NPOs such asOption consommateurs to offer legal services to the public. Already, thanks to this law, we have been able to win the case for many consumers by offering them free legal services.
Of course, Quebec consumers are not out of the woods yet. The domination of digital platforms, the arrival of AI in the commercial sphere and rigged interfaces are all issues that will have to be addressed sooner rather than later by Quebec consumer law. Adequate funding for the public bodies responsible for enforcing the laws that protect the public also remains essential to ensure their effectiveness.
However, we cannot overlook the significant advances in Quebec consumer law achieved under the impetus of Minister Jolin-Barrette. This proactive approach to access to justice and the defense of consumer rights has once again made Quebec a leader in consumer protection in North America.
