Exploring Canada's Economic Transformation: From Staples to Industry

This report delves into the economic history of Canada, focusing on the staple theory and the impact of industrialization. It begins by explaining the significance of staple products in Canada's economic growth, citing examples like fish, timber, wheat, and fur, and the influence of the staple economy. The report then describes life in pre-industrial Canada, characterized by a focus on survival, self-sufficiency, and a strong connection to the land. It further analyzes the impact of the Industrial Revolution on Canadian workers, detailing the shift from rural to urban life, the introduction of machinery, and the resulting economic and social changes. The report highlights the technological advancements, the centralization of production, and the challenges faced by agricultural workers due to the lack of skills required for the new industrial environment.

Running head: WORK, INDUSTRY, AND CANADIAN SOCIETY
WORK, INDUSTRY, AND CANADIAN SOCIETY
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Author Note:

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WORK, INDUSTRY, AND CANADIAN SOCIETY
It has been said that the export of staple products has dominated Canada's
history. Explain and give some examples.
It is considered that the economic growth of Canada has been stemmed from the
staple industry. According to Harold Innis, who had developed the staple theory of economy,
stated that the immediate economic growth if the country had stemmed from the staple
economy, which eventually broke down during the 1820s. Mackintosh had argued that the
geographical and teg territorial expansion of the country should be given focus, as they had
influenced the Canadian economy over time (Pomfret, 2013). The staple thesis, associated
with the economic growth of the country, states that the natural resources had lied down the
financial foundation of the country. This can be further exemplified by the export business of
fish, timber, wheat and fur, that the state had involved. Innis had argued that the country ad
grew over its raw materials that they used to export to the British Empire.
Describe Life in Pre-industrial Canada.
The life in pre-industrial Canada was much healthy and less complicated. The only
aspect of life was surviving, and all the relationship that was governing within the society
were much economical in relation, and co-dependant. Mostly, the people had a farm life, and
the people were dependent upon the farmers for survival and sustenance. The people of the
country were more self- dependant (Danneyrolles, Arseneault, & Bergeron, 2016). It was a
cultural life, and the most exciting aspect was, marriage was considered to be an act,
conducted out of need. The women need a man to sustain, and the men needed a
housekeeper.

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WORK, INDUSTRY, AND CANADIAN SOCIETY
Describe the Impact of Industrialization on Canadian Workers.
The industrial revolution had changed the economic and social life of Canada
dramatically. The advancement in technology, thee implications and uses of machinery
within the framework of production, had changed the curse of rural life and initiated a
process of urbanization within the country. There was a transition from rural to urban life.
The increased usage of machinery had made the production more centralized and more
disciplined. It had boosted the Canadian economy, and there was a shift from the rural life
towards the industrial growth, which needed different types of skills, and most of the people
had lacked the ability (Appelbaum, 2013). There were changes even within the agricultural
sectors, the threshing machines were introduced, which needed skills, that, the rural people
lacked. Therefore, the agricultural workers had suffered from an economic crisis.

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WORK, INDUSTRY, AND CANADIAN SOCIETY
References:
Appelbaum, E. (2013). The impact of new forms of work organization on workers. Work and
Employment in the High-Performance Workplace, 120.
Danneyrolles, V., Arseneault, D., & Bergeron, Y. (2016). Pre‐industrial landscape
composition patterns and post‐industrial changes at the temperate–boreal forest
interface in western Quebec, Canada. Journal of Vegetation Science, 27(3), 470-481.
Pomfret, R. (2013). The economic development of Canada. Routledge.