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The “trickle-down” argument is often used by special interest groups. The basic idea is to make the case that although a certain policy appears to only benefit a certain segment of the economy, everyone ends up better off somehow. The term “trickle-down economics” was made famous when it was used to support former U.S. president Ronald Reagan’s proposal to reduce personal income tax rates on high earners, and is often viewed as a cynical joke. But the effectiveness of the trickle-down strategy is not so easily dismissed, and other interest groups have learned to take it seriously.

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Canada’s dairy cartel certainly has. There’s even a website that purports to explain what it calls — without apparent irony — the “Milkle-Down Effect.” (Yes, really.)

Cartels are usually illegal in Canada. Article 45(1) of the Competition Act forbids price fixing, the allocation of production and the restriction of supply; the maximum penalty for this sort of behaviour is 14 years in jail and/or a fine of $25 million. The reason why cartels are illegal is that they act against the public interest: the general public is best served when goods and services are cheap and plentiful. Competitive pressures are typically the most effective way of ensuring the largest supply at the lowest prices.