Ordinary Canadians are paying too much each year due to price gouging and hidden fees. Jack Layton and his team of New Democrats will stop the rip-offs and strengthen consumer protection:

Reduce overcharging and hidden fees, and ban ATM fees for institutions regulated under the Bank Act, by requiring more accountability and transparency from the cell phone companies, the banks, airlines and other companies. This will include ending unfair charges on incoming text messages.

Limit outrageous interest rates and fees charged by "fringe banks". We will enforce existing regulations to limit the interest rates and fees that can be charged for services like "payday" loans, tax refund advances and cheque-cashing.

Cap the interest rates on credit cards to a maximum of 5 percentage points over prime by amending the Bank Act.

Help alleviate gouging at the gas pumps through monitoring and regulating fuel prices at the pumps.

Provide greater support to working families that need assistance in managing their consumer and household debt.

Ensure that consumers' concerns are heard by requiring federally regulated agencies such as banks, telephone companies and cable corporations to fund citizen oversight committees to monitor fees, rates and regulatory decisions as part of the formal regulatory and rate-setting process.

Protect families by giving Health Canada and the minister responsible for consumer protection greater authority to:

• Investigate and directly order the recall of unsafe and toxic consumer products including toys, groceries and pet food.
• Increase testing and inspection of imported products, with standards that match those required of Canadian products.
• Require federally regulated agencies to provide better customer services, as well as better complaint mechanisms, and measurable, high-quality customer support.

Based on the "precautionary principle," we will reassess, control and eliminate toxic substances from products used by Canadian families, including children's toys, by implementing the New Democrats' Toxic Pollution Reduction Act.

• The Act will expand on the New Democrats' Phthalate Control Act passed by the House of Commons in 2007.

Modeled on proposed legislation in the US, New Democrats will take action to stop the import of toxic products and better protect Canadian children. We will make importers responsible for costs of inspecting and ensuring the safety of their products.

End the use and circulation of the Canadian penny, increasing convenience for shoppers and cutting unnecessary costs to the government.

Address the 'leaky condo' crisis with an inquiry into the role and responsibilities of federal agencies (as promised by Stephen Harper, but never done), and tax exemptions for repair and restoration costs.

Respect the right of families and individuals to know what they are eating:

• Mandatory labelling of farmed fish and genetically engineered food, as is already done in Europe, Asia and Australia.
• New labelling requirements to inform consumers of the region of origin of food products and ingredients – so they know how far food has traveled to reach their table.

Establish a more effective "do-not-call" list for telemarketers. We will impose tough new sanctions on telemarketers who violate the list.

Reduce accidents and railroad derailments. We will establish and better enforce high standards of public safety in air, rail, road and marine transport based on carrier responsibility, best practices and recommendations from regulatory and legal investigations.

Combat identity theft and control online computer fraud against innocent consumers and seniors, including spamming and "phishing". We will work with consumers, experts and businesses to implement tough new measures to fight cyber-crime.

Implement "net neutrality" to protect everyday Canadians' right to freely access the internet content of their choice at a flat rate and with clear and transparent rules. We will end price gouging and "net throttling", preventing a two-tiered internet.

Ensure motorists can choose their own mechanic. New right-to-repair legislation will require automakers to make diagnostic software available to all repair shops and technicians.

Bring all consumer-related federal agencies under one roof by naming a Minister specifically responsible for consumer affairs. Canadians deserve a Minister devoted to protecting their interests.

Protect consumers in sectors where only a handful of companies control the entire industry by strengthening the Competition Act and the regulatory powers of the CRTC, the Competition Bureau and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.