Plaintiffs win interim decision in gas cartel lawsuit: Court approves
settlement between APA and two defendants to work on behalf of consumers, and
establishes a process for disclosure of evidence held by Competition Bureau

QUÉBEC, Oct 6 /CNW Telbec/ - In an interim decision, Justice Dominique Bélanger of the Quebec Superior Court approved a settlement between the plaintiffs in the gas cartel class action and two defendants. Furthermore the court set up a process to allow all the parties to the lawsuit to have access to some of the evidence held by the Crown in a criminal case taken by the Competition Bureau.

According to Automobile Protection Association President, George Iny, the judgement will help with the preparation of the eventual trial, and confirms the right of the APA and other plaintiffs to strike a deal releasing some of the defendants in exchange for their cooperation.

The gas cartel lawsuit was authorized to proceed by the Court in December 2009 against some 70 defendants over allegations of price fixing in the retailing of gasoline in four Quebec regional markets. Price fixing is alleged to have been going on between January 1, 2002 and June 30, 2006 in Sherbrooke, Magog, Victoriaville and Thetford Mines, and is the subject of a criminal prosecution undertaken by the Competition Bureau, in which some of the defendants have pleaded guilty.

In her decision, Judge Bélanger confirmed that the evidence in a criminal investigation is not the property of the Crown, but belongs to the public to be used to ensure that justice is done. The judge set up a process to allow the disclosure of some of the evidence held by the Crown in its criminal prosecution for price fixing. This process had been applied in Ontario, but lawyers for the plaintiffs believe it is the first time a similar process has been applied in Quebec.

The complete decision and a sign-up form for consumers are available at the websites of the law firms acting for the plaintiffs.

www.lebelavocats.com and www.paquettegadler.com

For further information:

For more information or an interview, contact:

George Iny, representing the APA: 514-273-1662

Or the lawyers acting for the plaintiffs:

Me Guy Paquette, Paquette Gadler Inc. : 514-985-7071
Me Pierre Lebel, Lebel Avocats: 418-266-0871