One possible reason that margins have remained elevated in Canada may be that the retail environment is more concentrated in Canada than in the United States. In Canada, the top four retailers have a 28 per cent market share, compared with only 12 per cent in the United States.
Giving more power to the European Parliament is an illusion. “Softening the rules and relying on the offer of variable geometry would be a mistake. Such procedures already exist (Euro, Schengen, defense, many temporary exceptions) and have always been something of a ratchet.