The lack of stability in the traditional workplace is resulting in a change in the way people do business. Instead of looking to large corporations or government offices for full-time paid work, people are taking matters into their own hands. Self-employment is growing as an opportunity for everyone who needs work. Two popular sub-categories of self-employment are home-based businesses and electronic commerce.
             With reduced employment opportunities in larger companies and government, many people seeking employment have started looking towards self-employment and small firms as a large source of jobs. "In Canada, 3 out of 4 new jobs created in the 1990's have been in the form of self-employment" (McJobs to My Own Job). While some self-employed workers turn to this type of employment by choice and earn high incomes, most of the increase in self-employment in the 1990's has been driven by the lack of employment alternatives such as paid work and permanent work. In 1990, the rate of self-employment as a share of total employment was twelve point one per cent and rose to fifteen point four per cent in 1995 (Pro-Quest, 4). The growth of self-employment has been attributed to high and rising unemployment rates especially among older workers and well-educated young people, lack of suitable work, and low wages, among various other reasons. Eighty-five per cent of all jobs created in Can!
             ada since 1979 are accredited to small businesses and medium sized business (Internet 11).
             Self-employed workers, on average, are more likely than paid workers to work on a full- time, full year bases. Many self-employed workers also work extra long hours. One in three (32.1%) of self-employed men and one in five (32.1%) self-employed women work more than ten hours or longer days, six or seven days week. This is compared to five point three per cent of paid working men and one point two per cent of paid working women. S...