New direction
Downsizing is the popular solution today to all financial ills, whether in government or in business.
Gradually, a few enlightened people are beginning to discover that in order to maintain growth you have to use a little fertilizer.
The 1950s, 1960s and 1970s saw a stretch of rapid growth.
Then our tires developed some lumps from the continued inflation.
Business decided the solution was to provide less and charge more. Government decided it should reduce services and increase taxes.
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This meant massive relocation of the work force. Those who were “downsized” by government and business initially became a drag on unemployment insurance and welfare and then moved into small business.
A host of new enterprises sprang up to answer wants we weren’t aware existed until we saw and heard advertised the string of innovations.
Honestly now, how could your family survive without a modem to link them with the Internet or a remote control to turn on your television? Impossible.
How could you have a holiday without snorting around on a sea-doo or paragliding or sail surfing?
How could you get about on a farm without an ATV, a snow cruiser and a 4WD pickup?
As soon as some small enterpriser discovers and promotes something that catches the popular fancy, corporate Canada moves to buy a piece of the action and then government has to move briskly to regulate it. Maybe this is the way to create jobs, jobs, jobs.
It may be a few years yet before we’re infected with optimism again.
The 1980s and early 1990s were a sorry lesson. But look for fiscally defensible growth to replace downsizing as the cliche of future corporate Canada.
