We must also ensure that taxes, regulations, access to capital, and macro-economic conditions, all support rather than hinder small business growth. The marks Canada is getting these days are outstanding. In Canada, no-one deserves more credit for our economic performance than the small business sector. In the 90s, self-employment has been increasing at a rate of 3.3 percent every year, faster than any other sector of the economy. Properly equipped to do the job at hand, a rapidly growing number of Canadians have discovered the sense of fulfillment that comes from being involved in running a small firm.
Owners particularly enjoy the autonomy and control that running an independent business can provide.
It's not surprising that Canadians, in fact people all around the world, have a great deal of respect for small businesses. Last week the CFIB and Scotiabank released the results of a survey of public attitudes towards ten occupational groupings, including small business, in Canada, the United States, Brazil, Germany and Japan. Small business enjoyed the highest overall ranking regarding their various contributions to those countries' economies and societies. Conclusion I am confident the best is yet to come as the Canadian small business success story enters a new chapter in cyberspace, with all its untold wealth of potential. And I believe Connecting Canadian small businesses to that future will turn out to have been where the story really began.