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Cost of Living·Full Episode

Canada's pandemic baby bust — plus imaginary assistants, and the lost art of jingles

Canada's birth rate has been declining for decades, and with the anticipated 'pandemic baby boom' turning into a bust, we ask what needs to be done to keep our economy afloat with fewer people. Also on the show, why fake assistants make work life easier for some female entrepreneurs. Finally, national advertising jingles were all the rage a few decades ago, but now they're nowhere to be found. We find out why jingles have dwindled.

The Cost of Living for June 13, 2021

CBC Radio ·
This week on The Cost of Living: Canada's birth rate has been declining for decades, and with the anticipated 'pandemic baby boom' turning into a bit of a bust, we ask what needs to be done to keep our economy afloat with fewer people. Also on the show, we find out why fake assistants make the work life easier for some female entrepreneurs. Finally, national advertising jingles were all the rage a few decades ago, but now they're nowhere to be found. We find out why jingles have gone local and ironic. (sirtravelalot/Shutterstock, alfa27/stock.adobe.com, Liderina/Shutterstock)
Cost of Living27:45Canada's pandemic baby bust, invented assistants and the lost art of jingles
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Despite predictions of a pandemic baby boom, it looks like Canadians did not get busy during the intiial COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions.

Instead, we adopted puppies.

And while cute, puppies do not significantly change the population growth rate in Canada.

Cost of Living host Paul Haavardsrud starts off the show speaking with Darrel Bricker, author of Empty Planet, about the economic consequences of how Canada's population is changing.

Cost of Living10:48Pandemic baby bust: what Canada's dwindling birth-rate means for the economy

Also on the program: Fake it 'til you Make it. 

Some female entrepreneurs have invented male assistants — who don't actually exist — to help boost their company's image. Senior producer Jennifer Keene explains how this could help them navigate some of the gender stereotypes faced by women in business. 

Cost of Living5:08No employees? No problem! Some entrepreneurs fake it 'til they make it with invented assistants

Finally, Who Killed the Jingle?   

These days, artists like Celine Dion and the White Stripes supply the soundtrack to commercials, edging out the classic albeit cheesy earworms of decades past.

Producer Anis Heydari explains why the era of 'big jingle' is on the way out, but both small local businesses and irony continue to put jingles into our ears.

Cost of Living8:40Can you sound more like melting cheese? The fate of the commercial jingle explained

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