Boycott or buy-cott? Politics and business debate heats up

After an Alberta labour group calls for a boycott of businesses that contributed to the UCP, many are retaliating with a buy-cott.

CALGARY (CityNews) – A call to boycott businesses which contributed to pro-UCP Political Action Committees from an Alberta Labour group has some on the Right calling for a Buy-cott, with consumers getting caught up in the politics of purchasing, a growing trend around the world.

“Businesses are governed by the idea of profit maximization, you’re not in it unless you’re out to make a buck, so conceptually we shouldn’t see politics drift into business decisions,” said Moshe Lander with Concordia University. “However, there is a long history of politics playing a role.

The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) recently published a list complete with names, contributions and a Google Maps page which shows addresses and phone numbers.

“There are dozens of business organizations that support pro-growth policies,” said Premier Jason Kenney. “Are they all now going to be targeted? Are all those little mom and pop restaurants now going to be boycotted? Are they going to face bully tactics?”

The AFL argues the businesses are bankrolling an agenda that’s kicking Albertans when they’re down, but many disagree, saying they’ll use the list as a guide on where to shop, not avoid.

“If customers start affiliating with certain businesses then effectively,” said Lander. “They’re challenging their money into donations too.”

It’s part of a larger trend which isn’t unique to Alberta like Nike embracing the Black Lives Matter campaign or Home Depot’s co-founder supporting Donald Trumps’ re-election.

“At the same time that businesses are profit maximizers, we as individuals are utility maximizers,” said Lander. “We’re trying to maximize our happiness in this world and if all of a sudden my happiness is going to start to be constrained because if I want to associate with a particular brand, I now get tagged with all of their baggage too, that’s going to limit my ability, that’s going to limit my choice and it’s going to limit my happiness in life.”

Businesses not saying anything may end up making just as much of a statement, as Michael Jordan once said, even if he now says it was a joke, Republicans buy sneakers too.

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