What is Happening to Small Business?

It’s been over a year now and the blatant discrimination against small business continues.

Despite claims by Government (all parties) and Media that they “care” about small business, their actions and messaging continue to damage the independent local businesses in our community while favouring the huge corporations.

The Covid debates are more often driven by politics, money and power than they are about health.  For the record, if all of the concern around Covid was Health based, they would not have made Alcohol, Marijuana, and Tobacco all “essential” during the entire time, including the strictest lockdowns.  Society has clearly been divided and it’s increasingly difficult to believe that this is unintentional.  Contradictions and hypocrisy have not only dominated our political leadership but they have been accepted by many as “just the way it is”.  We’ve been programmed to believe that we are “all in this together”.  We are most definitely not!

Put aside all political opinions.  Put aside the scientific debates (because they are all far from conclusive). Put aside all the societal pressures and emotions and just look at the facts.

Small businesses have absolutely been unfairly targeted, punished and restricted while big corporations like Walmart, Costco and others continue to thrive.  The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, CFIB predicts that 1 in 6 businesses are at risk of permanent closure and 2.4 million jobs are jeopardized.
While many in the Media and Government attempt to appear concerned about small businesses, their actions do very little to support small business at all.  Their messaging and campaigns reminding us to shop locally are mere “lip service” as they take their majority of funding and direction from the big corporations.  They want to appear to care but at the same time continue to squash the small independent business owners.  Many personal service businesses, restaurants, tourism related businesses, specialty retailers, fitness facilities and more have been completely devastated.  They’ve faced over a year of unfair restrictions and limitations on their ability to simply conduct their business.  They’ve been told they are not essential...not worthy.  Regardless of their ability to conduct business safely and professionally, they have been limited or completely shut down while other businesses continue to thrive.

The discrimination is rampant and it’s driven by greed, lust for power and money. Government, Media and the Corporate world are controlling it all.... and it’s far from over!
It has to stop before we lose the heart and soul of our community. 

What are We Doing About It?
At ShopLondon.ca we truly believe that small businesses are the life of our community and the backbone our local economy.  We believe that ALL small businesses are “essential”.  They are essential to the owner’s family and the customers they service.  The local hair salon or gift shop should have the same right to conduct business as Walmart but they don’t.  Individual operators should be free to decide their hours and make reasonable provisions to protect their customers. Consumers should be free to decide which business they want to patronize. 

Government has no business restricting local business.  A free market can and should decide.  People will naturally take the appropriate health and safety measures to protect themselves and their livelihood.  The Government can provide the information and warnings like they do for dangerous products but they should not block a legal business from operating unless they are treating all businesses the same.  They simply are not!  We are advocating for the equal rights of any and all legal businesses to operate at their discretion.  We know that ultimately consumers will decide, but we want the independent businesses to have a chance.

As ShopLondon.ca continues to make it possible for more small businesses to compete online, we recognize that it’s not enough if the government shuts down their physical stores.  We can provide the online tools for local businesses but we still support and promote the option of in-person shopping.  We are letting political Leaders know that the discrimination against small business must stop!

We are doing our part, as we have for over 9 years now, offering free listings and business profiles in our directory and providing affordable online tools to help local businesses be found online and connect with consumers.  While the Government and Corporations continue to damage and restrict the entrepreneurs, we continue to build them up.  We need small businesses to band together!  Join us, and take advantage of the FREE listing and free tools available at the very least.  Our platform is truly dedicated to Local Independent Businesses.  It’s not just “lip service”!  We care about our community and the businesses that make it what it is, not the Government or corporations who want to control it all. 

We know that together we have a stronger voice and a stronger presence.  We can reach more consumers, we can continue to spread our message about the importance of small independent business in our community, and we can survive whatever the Government and big Corporations throw at us.    
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