Charles E. Wilson, a prominent American industrialist and former president of General Motors, played a significant role in shaping the automotive industry and American economy during the mid-20th century. As Secretary of Defense under President Eisenhower, Wilson oversaw crucial military initiatives during the Cold War era.

"There may be some backward countries where the mass of the people are on a subsistence level and where, as an aftermath of wars or partial crop failures, the standard of living has to be drastically reduced, but this certainly is not the case in our prosperous nations."



"The thing that contributes to anyone's reaching the goal he wants is simple wanting that goal badly enough."



"Furthermore, the spirit of enterprise which had its first intellectual development in England has especially flourished here as well as throughout all of Canada, while the same spirit has become less virile in the land of its origin."



"No one should suffer from the great delusion that any form of communism or socialism which promotes the dictatorship of the few instead of the initiative of the millions can produce a happier or more prosperous society."



"Unfortunately, in collective bargaining one party or the other too often tries to gain an advantage - a bargain, like buying something in a store for less than it is worth."



"That the way to achieve higher standards of living for all is through science and technology, taking advantage of better tools, methods and organization."



"Our thinking behind these agreements is that we want all jobs in General Motors to be good jobs."



"The only sound approach to collective bargaining is to work out an agreement that clarifies the rights and responsibilities of the parties, establishes principles and operates to the advantage of all concerned."



"Our recent 5-year labour agreements, in Canada as well as the United States, are based upon experience, logic and principle rather than on pressure, propaganda and force."



"Your future is still before you. Your land is a vast storehouse of mineral and agricultural wealth awaiting further development for the benefit of mankind. It potentialities are magnificent."



"In my fifty years of experience and memory, I have seen the most amazing increase in the standard of living of a people ever achieved anywhere in the world. This is why I am so sure that our system of free competition and industrial development is sound and must be preserved."



"For more than 150 years free men in our countries have had the opportunities to educate themselves, choose their own religions, select their own occupations, accumulate capital and invent better ways of doing things."



"Our expanding Canadian operations are concrete evidence of General Motors confidence in Canada."

