| This research study examines the historical development of the 'new economy discourse' in Canada, and analyses some of the wider social, cultural, political, and economic ramifications that the implementation of this discourse is having at the local level. I argue that 'high-technology' clusters, particularly information, communication and telecommunications (ICT) clusters, are increasingly becoming the mainstream, neo-liberal perspective driving the development of the new economy. Through the case study of the province of Quebec and the city of Montreal, my research unveils how the pervasive belief of governments in the economic promise of high-technology clusters, combined with the increasing spatial mobility of capital, is having discernible impacts on local governance. Capital is attaining a more strategic position with respect to its relationship with different levels of government, thereby transforming the role of government from the regulator to the facilitator of capital. This transformation in the role of government has consequences on the everyday lives of people. |
