It is, however, a stark warning that far too many Canadians believe the current system is failing them, and they want to see changes that address fundamental inequalities that have crept into our economy and our society, and have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In early February, that red engine light gave way to a cacophony of truck horns, in Canada’s capital and at border crossings across the country. The “freedom convoy” may have started as a protest against vaccine mandates, but it became something much bigger and more belligerent, a lightning rod for pandemic frustration and a condemnation of the system many felt had left them behind.
Canadians expect our chief executive officers and the businesses they lead to step into that void and give them a reason to believe in the system again. They are now telling us – by questioning their faith in capitalism – that the price business could pay for not heeding this call is a rejection of the economic and political system that has allowed it to flourish.
Is it fair to expect business to bridge this trust chasm and restore faith in the system? Maybe not. But it is fair to say that Canadians expect more from business beyond their direct economic contribution to society. They want to see business embrace the global shift to stakeholder capitalism, where the purpose of business has become much broader than the traditional definition, where employees and community are elevated in importance, and the interests of shareholders don’t always come first.
Capitalism is a failed ideology
Lol no thanks