Vox pop: What Do New Brunswickers Think About Corporate Power?

Who Holds the Power: Corporations or Government?

Do corporations wield too much influence over government policy, or is it government overreach that stifles business and economic growth?

That enduring political question marks a major ideological divide: those on the political left often argue that corporate interests have captured democratic institutions, while those on the right frequently maintain that governments interfere too heavily in private enterprise.

To explore public sentiment on the issue, the NB Media Co-op took to the Moncton Market on Saturday. Over the course of an hour, several shoppers paused their browsing to share their thoughts on camera, reflecting a broad mix of opinions and personal experiences.

“I think for citizens to be properly taken care of, corporations need to be taxed higher,” said one market-goer, a psychotherapist working in the Moncton area. She emphasized that corporate profits should be reinvested in public services like health care and education. “That money should be contributing to social services,” she added. “I think our government shouldn’t be for sale.”

She pointed to major corporations, particularly those owned by billionaire families like the Irvings, as benefiting from excessive tax breaks. These corporations, she argued, should be making more substantial contributions to the public good. “I really believe in wellness and social programs,” she said, adding that strong social safety nets lead to healthier, more resilient communities.

Another man at the market offered a sharply different perspective, referring to what he called “the Chinese Liberal Party,” echoing claims of foreign interference in Canadian politics. (A January public inquiry, however, found no evidence of MPs acting as foreign agents, or of legislation being influenced by meddling from abroad.)

He reminisced about a simpler, more affordable past. “I went to the store with my grandmother when I was six years old and got a gallon of gas for a quarter,” he said. “I could go to the store with 50 cents, get a bag of chips, a bottle of pop, and penny candy, and still have change.” Originally from Chipman, he linked today’s high cost of living to government mismanagement. Asked who he believes is responsible for inflation, he responded: “The government.” And corporations? “They buy the government,” he added.

A man from Moncton, now living in Thunder Bay, offered a more nuanced take. He described the issue as a “chicken and egg sort of thing,” where corporate influence and government complicity reinforce each other. While he acknowledged the significant sway corporations have over public policy, he argued that it’s ultimately elected officials who have the power to change the system, provided they’re not compromised by financial interests. “You can’t trust them if they’re taking corporate money,” he said.

While corporations are banned from donating directly to political parties both federally and in New Brunswick, individuals are still allowed to contribute. After New Brunswick implemented its corporate donation ban in 2017, donations from business executives spiked. The most recent provincial election also saw a dramatic rise in out-of-province donations, many coming from corporate leadership.

A local busker, momentarily pausing his act juggling lemons, voiced passionate opposition to corporate personhood and the global reach of companies like Walmart. “Walmart is not a person,” he said. “It shouldn’t own property, it shouldn’t have anything — it doesn’t have a soul to save.” His comments tapped into a longstanding debate about whether corporations, as legal entities, should enjoy the same rights as individuals.

Several others said they believed corporate power had grown too extensive but declined to speak on the record — in some cases because they themselves worked for corporations. Others simply declined to comment altogether.

The resulting video report also features an interview with journalist and author Nora Loreto, who offers deeper insight into these dynamics in her new book, Corporate Control, released this week by Dundurn Press.

– With files from Ryan Hillier

David Gordon Koch is a staff reporter with the NB Media Co-op. This reporting has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS).