THE ROAD NOT TAKEN - THE TRANSITION FROM UNEMPLOYMENT TO SELF-EMPLOYMENT IN CANADA, 1961-1994

The steady decline in self-employment in Canada for much of this centu ry appears to have been reversed in recent years. This pattern is repe ated in a large number of western countries. Several explanations have been put forward to explain these revivals. Among the most intensivel y studied is an ''unemployment push'' hypothesis in which people move into self-employment as a response to unemployment. Although arguments about the meaning of this hypothesis differ, the present study shows that there is no non-seasonal connection between unemployment and self -employment in Canada between 1961 and 1994. Directions for future res earch are discussed.