The first clue was the timing — late afternoon before a long weekend. 

It's a classic move for governments to make controversial announcements when fewer people are paying attention. 

So when an innocuous-sounding news release from Health Canada about "proceeding with amendments to the Patented Medicines Regulations" came out at 5 p.m. on April 14, the eve of the Easter holiday, there were few headlines. 

But it was breaking news, because the Trudeau government was announcing the end of a five-year⁠ fight ⁠with the pharmaceutical industry over regulations to lower drug prices.