Peter Nowak
@peternowak.bsky.social
Founder and publisher of Do Not Pass Go, the first and only journalism venture in Canada dedicated to competition and monopoly issues. I also eat burgers. donotpassgo.substack.com
If everything is a rip-off, should we just buy nothing? With #blackfriday looming, Adbusters founder Kalle Lasn joins the Do Not Pass Go podcast to explain how #BuyNothingDay fits into the larger fight against climate change www.donotpassgo.ca/p/this-decad...
November 27, 2025 at 2:25 PM
If everything is a rip-off, should we just buy nothing? With #blackfriday looming, Adbusters founder Kalle Lasn joins the Do Not Pass Go podcast to explain how #BuyNothingDay fits into the larger fight against climate change www.donotpassgo.ca/p/this-decad...
Competition Commissioner Matthew Boswell is stepping down early. Consumer advocates love the job he's done and say that who the government chooses as his successor will reveal whether they're actually serious about competition and affordability www.donotpassgo.ca/p/competitio...
Competition Commissioner Matthew Boswell calls it quits early
Consumer advocates petition government for a "monopoly cop" and warn against placating Bay Street by naming a weak successor
www.donotpassgo.ca
November 25, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Competition Commissioner Matthew Boswell is stepping down early. Consumer advocates love the job he's done and say that who the government chooses as his successor will reveal whether they're actually serious about competition and affordability www.donotpassgo.ca/p/competitio...
Big disruption, not incremental moves is needed to bring prices down and tame Canada's #oligopolies, says @beynate.bsky.social on the new episode of Do Not Pass Go. We talk telecom, airlines, groceries and even World Series tickets www.donotpassgo.ca/p/rise-of-th...
Rise of the mavericks: Outsiders are making waves in U.S. politics, but what about Canada?
Liberal MP and potential Doug Ford opponent Nate Erskine-Smith believes disruption is key to lowering grocery, cellphone and World Series ticket prices
www.donotpassgo.ca
November 24, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Big disruption, not incremental moves is needed to bring prices down and tame Canada's #oligopolies, says @beynate.bsky.social on the new episode of Do Not Pass Go. We talk telecom, airlines, groceries and even World Series tickets www.donotpassgo.ca/p/rise-of-th...
Cities, renewable energy and nature lobbyists swarmed Parliament Hill in October ahead of the federal budget. Honda, Toyota, Restaurant Brands, Telus and Pfizer were also active. See who met with who in the monthly Lobby Report www.donotpassgo.ca/p/the-lobby-...
The Lobby Report: Cities, energy and nature advocates jockeyed for budget inclusion
Automakers, pharmaceutical firms and telcos also kept Parliament Hill meeting rooms busy in October ahead of Carney government's first budget
www.donotpassgo.ca
November 21, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Cities, renewable energy and nature lobbyists swarmed Parliament Hill in October ahead of the federal budget. Honda, Toyota, Restaurant Brands, Telus and Pfizer were also active. See who met with who in the monthly Lobby Report www.donotpassgo.ca/p/the-lobby-...
Reposted by Peter Nowak
As private equity buys into the $40 billion youth sports industry, everyday families are being priced out.
"We have this affordability crisis, and youth sports are one of those things that’s becoming an activity only for the wealthy,”
@capitolkvd.bsky.social tells @lukewgoldstein.bsky.social
"We have this affordability crisis, and youth sports are one of those things that’s becoming an activity only for the wealthy,”
@capitolkvd.bsky.social tells @lukewgoldstein.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 9:08 PM
As private equity buys into the $40 billion youth sports industry, everyday families are being priced out.
"We have this affordability crisis, and youth sports are one of those things that’s becoming an activity only for the wealthy,”
@capitolkvd.bsky.social tells @lukewgoldstein.bsky.social
"We have this affordability crisis, and youth sports are one of those things that’s becoming an activity only for the wealthy,”
@capitolkvd.bsky.social tells @lukewgoldstein.bsky.social
Don't look now, but wireless prices are officially on the rise again. Interestingly, it's the first time Statscan has found this to be the case since *checks notes* the government allowed Rogers to buy Shaw www.donotpassgo.ca/p/wireless-p...
Wireless prices are officially on the rise again
Statistics Canada shows prices rose 7.7 per cent in October, the agency's first recorded increase since shortly after Rogers gobbled up Shaw
www.donotpassgo.ca
November 18, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Don't look now, but wireless prices are officially on the rise again. Interestingly, it's the first time Statscan has found this to be the case since *checks notes* the government allowed Rogers to buy Shaw www.donotpassgo.ca/p/wireless-p...
Is the Canadian government's long-overdue action to bring competition to banking for real? Industry veteran and author of "Fleeced" Andrew Spence joins the Do Not Pass Go podcast this week to talk about it (spoiler: he thinks so) www.donotpassgo.ca/p/it-really-...
"It really is shameful:" Big bank fleecing finally spurring action
It's taken decades, but the federal government is taking legitimate steps to introduce competition, according to industry vet and author Andrew Spence
www.donotpassgo.ca
November 17, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Is the Canadian government's long-overdue action to bring competition to banking for real? Industry veteran and author of "Fleeced" Andrew Spence joins the Do Not Pass Go podcast this week to talk about it (spoiler: he thinks so) www.donotpassgo.ca/p/it-really-...
Back in June, the Competition Bureau issued its first ever market study, on airlines, with advice on how to fix things for consumers. So far, the federal government has ignored it - but they are keeping tabs Air Canada CEO's French proficiency www.donotpassgo.ca/p/failure-to...
Failure to take off: It's crickets on proposed fixes to airline concentration
Critics say lobbying is responsible for government ignoring consumer problems, but records show MPs are on top of Air Canada CEO's French lessons
www.donotpassgo.ca
November 13, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Back in June, the Competition Bureau issued its first ever market study, on airlines, with advice on how to fix things for consumers. So far, the federal government has ignored it - but they are keeping tabs Air Canada CEO's French proficiency www.donotpassgo.ca/p/failure-to...
Oligopolies get all the attention when it comes to competition problems, but there's also a silent killer: private equity. @rwasserman.bsky.social joins the Do Not Pass Go podcast this week to discuss how to rein them in and avoid the death of entrepreneurialism www.donotpassgo.ca/p/death-by-a...
"Death by a thousand cuts:" How private equity is killing small businesses
From vets to dentists, Canada is heading toward entrepreneurial extinction – but there's a way for consumers to fight back, lawyer Rachel Wasserman explains
www.donotpassgo.ca
November 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Oligopolies get all the attention when it comes to competition problems, but there's also a silent killer: private equity. @rwasserman.bsky.social joins the Do Not Pass Go podcast this week to discuss how to rein them in and avoid the death of entrepreneurialism www.donotpassgo.ca/p/death-by-a...
Reposted by Peter Nowak
Fido is increasing some customers’ monthly bills by $5. mobilesyrup.com/2025/11/06/f...
Fido is increasing some customers' monthly bills by $5
A Fido customer received notice from the carrier warning of a $5 monthly increase starting with the next bill, on or after December 2.
mobilesyrup.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Fido is increasing some customers’ monthly bills by $5. mobilesyrup.com/2025/11/06/f...
November 5, 2025 at 8:34 PM
"They can't keep doing this forever," Graham Wright of Juno-nominated band Tokyo Police Club on Live Nation's domination of the music biz. It's dire for working musicians and music fans right now, he says on the new episode of Do Not Pass Go
donotpassgo.substack.com/p/they-cant-...
donotpassgo.substack.com/p/they-cant-...
“They can’t keep doing this forever:” Tokyo Police Club's Graham Wright on the dire state of music
Live Nation's growing ownership of venues, merchandise cuts and sky-high ticket prices are forcing musicians to "become corporate destroyers of our own culture"
donotpassgo.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:15 PM
"They can't keep doing this forever," Graham Wright of Juno-nominated band Tokyo Police Club on Live Nation's domination of the music biz. It's dire for working musicians and music fans right now, he says on the new episode of Do Not Pass Go
donotpassgo.substack.com/p/they-cant-...
donotpassgo.substack.com/p/they-cant-...
If you've been watching the Blue Jays playoffs on TV, you've probably seen the Will Arnett RBC ad - and its dig at fintechs - a million times. Well, the fintechs aren't too pleased with it donotpassgo.substack.com/p/will-arnet...
Will Arnett's fintech dig in RBC ad draws fire
Startup founders and employees respond to "track record, not trend" diss with equal parts anger and humour
donotpassgo.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 4:18 PM
If you've been watching the Blue Jays playoffs on TV, you've probably seen the Will Arnett RBC ad - and its dig at fintechs - a million times. Well, the fintechs aren't too pleased with it donotpassgo.substack.com/p/will-arnet...
A vacationing couple has scored big with a court ordering Air Transat pay them $7,000 for denying boarding for no reason. Advocates say the judgment is an endorsement of recording interactions with airline staff (which is perfectly legal): donotpassgo.substack.com/p/court-hits...
Court hits Air Transat with $7,000 for denying boarding to a vacationing couple
The decision, which hinged on recorded video of "egregious" and "terrible" customer service, hailed as a major victory for passenger rights
donotpassgo.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 6:20 PM
A vacationing couple has scored big with a court ordering Air Transat pay them $7,000 for denying boarding for no reason. Advocates say the judgment is an endorsement of recording interactions with airline staff (which is perfectly legal): donotpassgo.substack.com/p/court-hits...
Toronto's Velvet Undergound is now closed, but is that a bad thing? As some industry insiders point out, its owner-operator Live Nation likely never really wanted the place and it may live on as another music venue under another owner. donotpassgo.substack.com/p/could-the-...
Could the Velvet Underground closing be a good thing for live music in Toronto?
Live Nation's control is done, but the small venue could live on in another form
donotpassgo.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Toronto's Velvet Undergound is now closed, but is that a bad thing? As some industry insiders point out, its owner-operator Live Nation likely never really wanted the place and it may live on as another music venue under another owner. donotpassgo.substack.com/p/could-the-...
"Failure to deal with unbalanced economic power contributes to the rise of authoritarianism. and we see that very clearly in our times. It's what I call the true path to serfdom:" Biden competition advisor Tim Wu joins the Do Not Pass Go podcast this week donotpassgo.substack.com/p/eat-your-g...
"Eat your guests for dinner:" Tim Wu on platforms and The Age of Extraction
President Biden advisor calls for an economic rebalancing to counter how big companies are killing competition and pillaging consumers
donotpassgo.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:41 PM
"Failure to deal with unbalanced economic power contributes to the rise of authoritarianism. and we see that very clearly in our times. It's what I call the true path to serfdom:" Biden competition advisor Tim Wu joins the Do Not Pass Go podcast this week donotpassgo.substack.com/p/eat-your-g...
The astronomical resale prices for Blue Jays World Series tickets are rightfully getting a lot of attention from the media and lawmakers, but the opacity regarding their base face values is a big problem too: donotpassgo.substack.com/p/whats-the-...
What's the face value of a World Series ticket? *Shrug emoji*
Media and lawmakers are concentrating on astronomical resale prices, but the lack of transparency over base fees is also a problem
donotpassgo.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The astronomical resale prices for Blue Jays World Series tickets are rightfully getting a lot of attention from the media and lawmakers, but the opacity regarding their base face values is a big problem too: donotpassgo.substack.com/p/whats-the-...
Call out for a story I'm working on: if you managed to get Blue Jays World Series tickets in levels 500 or 100, please give me a shout.
October 21, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Call out for a story I'm working on: if you managed to get Blue Jays World Series tickets in levels 500 or 100, please give me a shout.
Monopoly the board game was never supposed to teach kids that greed is good. Its forgotten origin lies in a turn-of-the-century progressive movement that wanted to tax land owners rather than workers. donotpassgo.substack.com/p/the-forgot...
The forgotten premise (and promise) of Monopoly the board game
For generations kids have played and learned that greed is good, but the original version was intended as a moral lesson on land ownership and taxes
donotpassgo.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Monopoly the board game was never supposed to teach kids that greed is good. Its forgotten origin lies in a turn-of-the-century progressive movement that wanted to tax land owners rather than workers. donotpassgo.substack.com/p/the-forgot...
The CRTC has launched a public consultation on how to improve the agency that handles telecom service complaints crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/...
Broadcasting and Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-274 | CRTC
The Commission is helping to ensure that customers have clear contracts, are not surprised by higher bills, and have the information they need to make the best choices about their Internet, wireless, and television services.
crtc.gc.ca
October 17, 2025 at 4:22 PM
The CRTC has launched a public consultation on how to improve the agency that handles telecom service complaints crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/...
Who's lobbying the feds and why? The latest reports show the Canola Council of Canada leading the way, likely thanks to China tariffs. Irving Shipbuilding and the Canadian Urban Transit Association are close behind: donotpassgo.substack.com/p/the-lobby-...
The Lobby Report: Canola, Ships and Buses on Parliament Hill
Tariffs, transportation and food dominated the federal lobbying scene in August and September
donotpassgo.substack.com
October 16, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Who's lobbying the feds and why? The latest reports show the Canola Council of Canada leading the way, likely thanks to China tariffs. Irving Shipbuilding and the Canadian Urban Transit Association are close behind: donotpassgo.substack.com/p/the-lobby-...
Bell to resell fibre internet in Western Canada as it announces three-year outlook www.thestar.com/business/bel...
Bell to resell fibre internet in Western Canada as it announces three-year outlook
TORONTO - BCE Inc. will begin offering fibre internet services in Western Canada using its rivals' networks under rules it has long opposed, as it seeks to grow its customer
www.thestar.com
October 15, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Bell to resell fibre internet in Western Canada as it announces three-year outlook www.thestar.com/business/bel...
What's the state of consumer protection in Canada? Very bad, say some of the main advocacy groups. They're underfunded, overmatched and the feds don't take it seriously. But things are better in Quebec. Could protection be exported to the rest of Canada? donotpassgo.substack.com/p/a-basket-c...
"A basket case:" The state of consumer protection in Canada
Advocacy groups say they are underfunded and over-matched in facing armies of corporate lobbyists and lawyers, resulting in weak regulations and laws
donotpassgo.substack.com
October 14, 2025 at 1:55 PM
What's the state of consumer protection in Canada? Very bad, say some of the main advocacy groups. They're underfunded, overmatched and the feds don't take it seriously. But things are better in Quebec. Could protection be exported to the rest of Canada? donotpassgo.substack.com/p/a-basket-c...
Would you go to Canada Post for your mortgage? Why advocates think postal banking could be a lifeline for the Crown corp. www.thestar.com/business/wou...
Would you go to Canada Post for your mortgage? Why advocates think postal banking could be a lifeline for the Crown corp.
Amidst the labour dispute between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, a debate concerning the future of post offices across the country has once again taken the stage: Should Canada ...
www.thestar.com
October 11, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Would you go to Canada Post for your mortgage? Why advocates think postal banking could be a lifeline for the Crown corp. www.thestar.com/business/wou...
"Let’s not demonize our oligarchs, let’s empower them:" Former Conservative party leader Erin O'Toole scores a victory of sorts at a debate over whether Canada's oligopolies are holding the country back donotpassgo.substack.com/p/lets-not-d...
"Let’s not demonize our oligarchs, let’s empower them:" Erin O'Toole
Former Conservative party leader scores a victory of sorts at a debate over whether Canada's oligopolies are holding the country back
donotpassgo.substack.com
October 10, 2025 at 4:48 PM
"Let’s not demonize our oligarchs, let’s empower them:" Former Conservative party leader Erin O'Toole scores a victory of sorts at a debate over whether Canada's oligopolies are holding the country back donotpassgo.substack.com/p/lets-not-d...