Is Canada a Post-Industrial Society?

In order to determine the classification of Canadian society as industrial or post-industrial, it must first be acknowledged that such an evaluation is largely dependent on how one defines and characterizes the categories. The development of Canadian society spans a broad continuum of change and growth, such that remnants of industrialism and post-industrial practices are closely intertwined. Consequently, the question could perhaps be better understood as “how post-industrial is Canada?” rather than whether or not it fits into one or the other category. In its simplest form, post-industrialism distinguishes the shift of economic and societal focus from the industrial and manufacturing sectors towards the service and information industries. With a clear understanding on how various trends and practices illustrate the Canadian focus, it becomes apparent just how post-industrial Canada now is.

As noted above, the definitions of “industrial” and “post-industrial” serve as the primary basis for an assessment of Canada. For simplicity, one might separate these two stages based on their overall attitudes and values, evaluating quantitative economic statistics and qualitative social outlooks under presiding paradigms. Fundamentally, an industrial society sees economic trends geared towards mass production, division and repetition of labour, and urbanization. Further, physical jobs necessitate a male workforce, and work is, in general, a manual undertaking for the purpose of survival. In contrast, a post-industrial society emphasizes information over actual goods, and sees many more services, often geared towards comfort and quality of life. The working attitude of a post-industrial society is characterized by flexibility, adaptability, and a culture of creativity and freedom.

The most direct comparative point for industrial versus post-industrial society is the division of labour by industry. The former is dominated by the secondary sector, including construction and...