The 1987 documentary that predicted everything and nobody watched.
59 minSeason 1 • Episode 5
LatestPossible alternatives for economic alliances and models are examined in this summary.
James Laxer, chairman of the political science department at Atkinson College, is the host for a five-part series examining Canada's role in the changing world economy. Produced by the NFB, the series explores free trade, the rise of the Japanese economy and the challenges posed by new technology.
Writing
Laxer's prescient warnings about free trade's consequences.
Production
Peak NFB public-access aesthetic: earnest, dated, weirdly compelling.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Produced during the heated lead-up to the 1988 Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, the series captures a nation genuinely uncertain if economic integration meant prosperity or absorption. The anxiety feels almost quaint now.
James Laxer was a prominent left-wing intellectual who later ran for NDP leadership; his academic credibility gave this series political weight that pure journalism couldn't match. The NFB essentially funded socialist economic prophecy with taxpayer money.
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