Tough times call for smart thinking and the recent decision by Raymond to mothball a plant in Canada is a good example. Sure there's short-term pain for the communities affected by the layoffs, but there's no long-term advantage to businesses clinging on against adversity when there are other alternatives. In this case, it seems the "plant idling" has been handled thoughtfully, and the challenge for businesses is to balance their own needs with those of their staff and suppliers. But at the end of the day, the slowdown has taught us the cost of unsustainable business practices and the need to take tough decisions.