Any business person that has converted from a manual system for recording sales and accounting information to a computer system knows that it is a life-changing event.
At the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, getting rid of thousands of 3×5 cards and putting every bit of membership information into a digital format, changed our operations forever.
There were some humorous memories. In 1971 we created plates that recorded the members’ numbers and addresses. Then we ran off six 3X5 cards which meant six different filing cabinets, one being in someone's garage in case of fire. Then the plates were put into another machine and used to address our Mandate ballots which were sent to members to secure their views on the significant issues of the day.
One day in early 1972, when strapped for cash, the machine that addressed our Mandates broke down, and we needed to spend $129 on a new one. We only had $50 in the bank. Thankfully we were given 30 days to pay for it. No wonder I had trouble sleeping at the time.
It is now early 1974, and we are going crazy stamping and filing 3×5 cards. I called my brother Peter, who is a computer science graduate from the University of Western Ontario, and asked for his help. After studying our problem, he recommended installing a "mini-computer" system, which would involve developing software programs and renting a mini-computer.
Now our friends at the National Federation of Independent Business in the U.S. were also going digital, and they offered us their Wang software programs at no cost. Brother Peter talked us out of this technology, and that was a critical decision in our history. What he tried to explain is that by owning our software, we could modify it at will.
And to our surprise, that is what made our system so valuable. When governments were particularly interested in the results of a vote by province or by sector, or if they wanted a particular study done, we could adapt our software.
CFIB power was expanding again. Not only did we have flexible computer systems, but we had access to unique information that we secured from the personal interviews and individual surveys we conducted of our membership.
Power exercised by political parties, governments and major corporations is often linked to their ability to manipulate large databases. Now CFIB had this power. Information is always about power.