MUNICIPALITIES TO FACE REAL COMPETITION 

DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS, I HAVE BEEN POINTING OUT THAT THE WORLD IS RAPIDLY CHANGING. CANADA IS FAST DROPPING OUT OF THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS GAME. ONCE THIRD AMONG INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS, WE ARE NOW EITHER 12TH OR 16TH DEPENDING ON THE MEASURING STICK. IN THIS SHRINKING WORLD, WE HAVE NOT YET REALIZED HOW UNCOMPETITIVE WE HAVE BECOME IN MANY SPHERES OF ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY. NOW NEW THREATS ....

TODAY ALMOST ANY BUSINESS CAN OPERATE FROM ALMOST ANY LOCATION. WITH MODERN COMMUNICATIONS, AND THE ABILITY TO MANIPULATE EXCHANGE AND INTEREST RATES, INTERNATIONAL FINANCING CAN HAVE A GREAT EFFECT ON THE RETAIL PRICE OF MANUFACTURED GOODS. SOMETIMES MORE THAN THE COST DIFFERENCES OF RAW MATERIALS. SERVICES TOO, CAN BE SIMILARY AFFECTED.

IT IS EVEN POSSIBLE TO IMPORT LABOR ELECTRONICALLY!

SUPPOSE AN ENTREPRENEUR WANTS TO OPEN UP A PLANT TO MAKE THE LATEST CLASSICAL WIDGET. OR PROVIDE SOME NEW EXOTIC SERVICE. TODAY THE WHOLE WORLD WANTS HIM OR HER. AND TO GET THE BUSINESS, ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY BUT CANADA, OFFERS A GENEROUS SLICE OF THEIR WORLD FOR ALMOST FREE!

A RAFT OF CURRENT ADS RUNNING IN NORTH AMERICAN BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS EXTOLL THE BENEFITS DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ARE OFFERING TO TODAY'S ENTRENPRENEURS.

LOUISIANA WAS NOT EXACTLY A BIG WINNER IN THE INDUSTRIAL AGE. NOW THAT STATE INTENDS TO PLAY HARDBALL. BUSINESSES SET UP IN LOUISIANA GET A TAX CREDIT OF US$2,500 FOR EACH NEW JOB CREATED. NOW OR DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.! THE PROPERTY TAX IS ZERO FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS! THIS INCLUDES EQUIPMENT, NOW AND IN THE FUTURE DECADE, PLUS EXPANSIONS MADE DURING THAT TIME. THERE'S MORE.

YOU HIRE WHO YOU WANT, IN A STATE THAT OPERATES UNDER "RIGHT-TO- WORK" LEGISLATION. THE STATE WILL PAY COSTS TO TRAIN THE NEW WORK FORCE RIGHT UP TO THE PRODUCTION LINE REQUIREMENTS, BE IT SEMI OR HIGHLY SKILLED! AND ... ON YOUR TIMETABLE.

ANOTHER MINOR POINT: LOUISIANA'S LOCATION PERMITS OVERNIGHT TRUCK DELIVERY TO A MARKET OF 25 MILLION CONSUMERS -- EQUAL TO THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF CANADA. THE STATE IS WITHIN A THREE-DAY TRUCK DELIVERY OF 70 PERCENT OF THE ENTIRE U.S. MARKET

U.S. TRADE PACT OR NOT, CANADIAN JURISDICTIONS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SCRAMBLE IN ORDER TO SURFACE AMONG THE SURVIVORS.

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