A letter from Michael H. McCain on capitalism: ‘I trust this debate will continue’

‘On the journey of change, I do hope people might patronize my business’

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I am encouraged that my earlier call for a new charter for capitalism sparked debate in the form of this week’s column “Michael McCain is wrong about capitalism.” I trust this debate will continue.

Albert Einstein described insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Mr. Lemieux and Mr. Kelly-Gagnon seem to offer few solutions to the failures we experience. Our planet is still on fire. The inequity and inequality of a race to the bottom, absent some measure of “rule-making,” continues unabated. Human conflict persists and trust levels remain in free fall. Little evidence of solutions is provided by the voice of keep on, keepin’ on.

The well-trodden dog whistle labels of “wokeism,” “socialism” or even bizarrely harkening to a broken communist past are the callings of people unwilling to accept accountability for change in the face of failure. A new charter for capitalism is none of the above, but rather a call to create a more equitable and successful version of the same.

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Mr. Lemieux and Mr. Kelly-Gagnon seem stuck in an elusive concept of “free markets.” There is no such existence today — anywhere! Any civilized society has rules, and we live by those rules individually and collectively, personally and commercially. The only question in play is whether these rules are fair to all those in the game — including future generations who will depend on our stewardship of the planet we live on. The jury is out — they are not!

A secure social safety net is simply a reflection of a caring society, not the Dickens-like protection of self-interest seemingly espoused by Lemieux and Kelly-Gagnon. And, on the journey of change, I do hope people might patronize my business, simply because we offer a great product AND because we care!

— Michael H. McCain, President and CEO, Maple Leaf Foods Inc.