Wal-Mart capitalizes on the bad economy
Terra Ciolfe
Issue date: 12/2/08 Section: News
He further commented that when big box stores move into areas like St. Catharines, they have the most impact because they tend to push out the competition. He also noted that a big problem with these types of corporations is that they tend to give low wages to their workers, rely on part-time work and capitalize off of other countries with even lower wages and less environmental standards.
"I think that, in general, that there is a certain logic to retail … Wal-Mart is often targeted as the real evil one, and I think that they are just part of the trend," he said. "Wal-Mart is a real draw for anti-corporate sentiment. But I think that that anti-corporate sentiment should be evenly distributed … a lot of middle class people have an anti-Wal-Mart elitism."
He also said that Wal-Mart is the focal point of a much wider problem. However, he notes that there are some good things to big box stores.
"I guess the good thing is that they do offer affordable things for people with limited money … that hurts me to say that," Butvoskty said. He added that there does not seem to be too many other options.
He noted the example of children's toys which are not readily available in places other that big box stores.
"If you shop at a Canadian big box store or an American-based big box story, it doesn't really make a difference. In either case the little guy is squeezed out," he said.
In response to a question posed about the recent death of the Wal-Mart employee, Butovsky said, "I think that if a corporation could be held criminally negligent, then they should be".
"I think that, in general, that there is a certain logic to retail … Wal-Mart is often targeted as the real evil one, and I think that they are just part of the trend," he said. "Wal-Mart is a real draw for anti-corporate sentiment. But I think that that anti-corporate sentiment should be evenly distributed … a lot of middle class people have an anti-Wal-Mart elitism."
He also said that Wal-Mart is the focal point of a much wider problem. However, he notes that there are some good things to big box stores.
"I guess the good thing is that they do offer affordable things for people with limited money … that hurts me to say that," Butvoskty said. He added that there does not seem to be too many other options.
He noted the example of children's toys which are not readily available in places other that big box stores.
"If you shop at a Canadian big box store or an American-based big box story, it doesn't really make a difference. In either case the little guy is squeezed out," he said.
In response to a question posed about the recent death of the Wal-Mart employee, Butovsky said, "I think that if a corporation could be held criminally negligent, then they should be".
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