What strikes one most about our present economic crisis are the paucity of voices from our big-business sector speaking against Tory PM Stephen Harper's desperate stimulus plan.
My, how times have changed.
During the last depression, after his own death-bed conversion, Prime-Minister R.B. Bennett announced before a stunned Board of Trade in St John, New Brunswick that: "I warn you that in the days to come there will be more, not less, interference by government with business."
Years later, Bennett's former private secretary, R.K. Finlayson could not shake the moment, As he recalled, the events of that night stuck because of "the look of horror on the faces of those men hearing such an utterance coming from a man who was regarded as the embodiement [sic] of big business untrammeled by state interference."**
Funny, eh? This time around Canadian capitalism seem's to be 'on-board' with the Tory programme. No real outcry this time. Aside from the odd dissenter there seems to be virtually no opposition emanating from the economic ruling class. Where's their outrage? Why are they not protesting Harper's abandonment of his principles? Where's their demonstrable fidelity to the free and unfettered market?
Ah, ... but of course this time big-business is guaranteed a bailout!
Silly me. How then could we possibly expect our men of integrity and industry today to react otherwise?
After all, what's better than a government guarantee that will not only protect one's privately-owned corporation but commits to preserving the flawed status-quo that spawned this horror in the first place!
The time for a revolution is nigh? - - - No?
** R.K. Finlayson, 'Life With R.B.: That Man Bennett' (unpublished manuscript c.1967?), LAC (Library Archives Canada), MG30, E 143, (ms.) p.252.
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