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Corporate interests changing our values

It is ironic that in the same week that a fourth soldier appears to have ended his life by suicide, the Bank of Montreal laid off 1000

Dear Editor,

It is ironic that in the same week that a fourth soldier appears to have ended his life by suicide, the Bank of Montreal laid off 1000 full time employees despite record profits of $4.2 billion.

Ian Nakamoto, director of research at the Toronto investment firm MacDougall, MacDougall and MacTer commented: "No one wants to be let go, but it’s an ongoing thing for any big corporation to constantly look at their expenses and see what they can do without."

I recently came across the word "corporatocracy", a description of elite global companies that have much more impact on the lives of people, often the most vulnerable, than they would like us to know about.

The objective of elite companies like the Bechtels and Halliburtons of this world, in which I would also include the Bank of Montreal, is to grow organizationally and financially and to use the power that such clear dominance affords.

Money and power are important; the lives of individuals are not. It's a deeply unethical and dehumanizing point of view.

I sometimes wonder if our governments, who have many corporate members, both in government and outside, have adopted a similar perspective and are heavily influenced by corporate agendas.

Social, political and corporate elites necessarily wine and dine together. One wonders what influence those lower on the totem pole have.

Public demonstrations in virtually every part of the planet since the new millennium suggests public dissatisfaction with governments because of the loss of political and economic power of citizens.

Quality of life is more than a full stomach and shelter. It is about equitable, satisfactory and enjoyable relationships, where individuals are heard and valued.

George Jason