In regards to your story, “Landscape altered for price-fixing, bid-rigging cases” on May 27, Eric Lefebvre is quoted as saying, “I don’t recall anyone ever having served time in a jail cell for price fixing or bid rigging.”
Lefebvre may be too young to recall the infamous dredging case,
R. v. McNamara, launched in 1975. After a nine-month preliminary hearing, a 14-month trial, and a two-month appeal, two individuals were to serve two-year sentences for their role in corporate bid rigging.
Others were awarded jail terms that were set aside on appeal but that resulted in cell time prior to bail arrangements being completed. The corporations involved got off much more lightly. Although substantial fines were imposed, none was ever collected.
John Nelligan,
Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP,
Ottawa
