All the stores started putting little Canada flag stickers by the price tags for made in Canada stuff. Unfortunately it does not differentiate by Canadian companies owned by American companies (like Tim Horton’s).
It’s actually more important that the product be made in Canada, rather than who owns the company, since it would employ more Canadians and return more money into our economy.
I’m not sure where Pedigree makes their treats, but if it’s in Canada, it gets a Maple Leaf.
But ideally, you do want a Canadian-owned company making goods in Canada using Canadian ingredients and hiring Canadian workers.
From a “where does the money go” perspective, that is not true.
So: yeah, it’s better than buying a straight up American import, but buying a product fully independent of any US process, service, component, transit, assembly, etc is better.
From a “where does the money go” perspective, that is not true.
When I was researching this, basically the conclusion is that if a product is made in Canada (even if the company is American), you are supporting the workers, but then the workers are likely spending their money within the country, too. This is amplified if the ingredients/materials of that product are also from Canada.
Yes, supporting an American company is still bad, for sure. I don’t disagree.
But if the choice, for example, is to buy from a Canadian company that’s importing from the States (many examples I’ve found just at the grocery store), or an American brand that makes their products in Canada using Canadian ingredients, go with the latter!
Fortunately, we aren’t always forced to make that decision, and can go with NotAmerican products and brands for a large number of items. That’s why Buy European is something I also follow (as a Canadian).
a Canadian company that’s importing from the States
That would make it an American imported product.
(many examples I’ve found just at the grocery store),
Such as?
Obviously the argument was never to buy something made in USA disregarding who owns the company, over something made in Canada. You are arguing against a strawman you made yourself.
Dianty is a Canadian company, but their brown rice comes from the States.
Nature’s Path is a Canadian cereal company, but they make everything in the States.
You can find alternatives that are not by Canadian companies, but are Made in Canada, and those options are better than the above. To Dainty’s credit, though, they only import the rice, but clean/finish/package it in Canada, so they aren’t terrible.
Still, I avoid their brown rice because the main ingredient is American.
Obviously the argument was never to buy something made in USA disregarding who owns the company, over something made in Canada.
I don’t think I was trying to make that argument, at least, I hope it didn’t come across that way.
It’s best to avoid anything made in the States or ingredients from the states. The local of a company’s head office is less relevant if they are employing Canadian workers to make the products.
You have a local brand that imports all their goods. How many employees do you think they have? It would all be just sales, admin, and warehouse.
Now say that you have a company manufacturing in your country using ingredients from your country:
You’ve got dozens of farmers, and everyone connected to them. Dozens or hundreds of factory workers, and everyone connected to them. Your “Canadian office” will still employ Canadians for admin, sales, warehouse, etc.
How would that not be better?
To reiterate: Buying from a locally-owned brand who also manufacturers locally is the best. But when given a choice between a company that makes goods in your country, and one that only sells imported goods from your country, the former is going to be more beneficial to the economy.
Locally owned and operated businesses, even if they have some US integration/imports, still have significantly better return to the local and domestic economy, that one shouldn’t discourage it if they can’t go all the way from the start.
I’m saying that “Canadian companies” who manufacturer elsewhere, are worse than “foreign companies” who manufacturer within Canada using Canadian ingredients.
My metric, of course, if purely from an economical perspective. There are other factors to consider, too.
Coca Cola is marked as European here, because it’s bottled and distributed by a local company.
People even argue it should not be Boycotted for that reason. Because it would harm local jobs too.
But I disagree completely, because it remains an American brand with American profits. If we use a local brand instead, all the jobs and profits are local.
Good point, though Tim Horton’s is owned by Restaurant Brands Intetnational, with headquarters in Toronto and Florida. RBI is in turn owned by shareholders, the largest of which is 3G capital, a Brazilian-American firm… so it’s complicated. Much American involvement, though!
Personally I don’t pay attention to the labels on the shelf. I look up the product origin myself and keep a list of all the non US items. I do try to buy Canadian first but I’ll take European, Australian, Japanese, or other origin products. No Loblaws. Ever. I refuse to buy products from some countries due to current matters occuring elsewhere on the planet …
All the stores started putting little Canada flag stickers by the price tags for made in Canada stuff. Unfortunately it does not differentiate by Canadian companies owned by American companies (like Tim Horton’s).
Petsmart is doing this too.
Pedigree dog treats, owned by Mars Canada - Maple Leaf.
That doesn’t count, yo.
It’s actually more important that the product be made in Canada, rather than who owns the company, since it would employ more Canadians and return more money into our economy.
I’m not sure where Pedigree makes their treats, but if it’s in Canada, it gets a Maple Leaf.
But ideally, you do want a Canadian-owned company making goods in Canada using Canadian ingredients and hiring Canadian workers.
Yes and no.
From a tariff perspective, that’s true.
From a “where does the money go” perspective, that is not true.
So: yeah, it’s better than buying a straight up American import, but buying a product fully independent of any US process, service, component, transit, assembly, etc is better.
When I was researching this, basically the conclusion is that if a product is made in Canada (even if the company is American), you are supporting the workers, but then the workers are likely spending their money within the country, too. This is amplified if the ingredients/materials of that product are also from Canada.
Yes, supporting an American company is still bad, for sure. I don’t disagree.
But if the choice, for example, is to buy from a Canadian company that’s importing from the States (many examples I’ve found just at the grocery store), or an American brand that makes their products in Canada using Canadian ingredients, go with the latter!
Fortunately, we aren’t always forced to make that decision, and can go with NotAmerican products and brands for a large number of items. That’s why Buy European is something I also follow (as a Canadian).
Hell, I follow (and support) the “buy euro” (or Canadian, or whatever else besides the US) movement, and I’m American.
You’re not American, you’re a hero. 😀
That would make it an American imported product.
Such as?
Obviously the argument was never to buy something made in USA disregarding who owns the company, over something made in Canada. You are arguing against a strawman you made yourself.
A few examples:
Dianty is a Canadian company, but their brown rice comes from the States.
Nature’s Path is a Canadian cereal company, but they make everything in the States.
You can find alternatives that are not by Canadian companies, but are Made in Canada, and those options are better than the above. To Dainty’s credit, though, they only import the rice, but clean/finish/package it in Canada, so they aren’t terrible.
Still, I avoid their brown rice because the main ingredient is American.
I don’t think I was trying to make that argument, at least, I hope it didn’t come across that way.
It’s best to avoid anything made in the States or ingredients from the states. The local of a company’s head office is less relevant if they are employing Canadian workers to make the products.
deleted by creator
No, you aren’t.
For example:
You have a local brand that imports all their goods. How many employees do you think they have? It would all be just sales, admin, and warehouse.
Now say that you have a company manufacturing in your country using ingredients from your country:
You’ve got dozens of farmers, and everyone connected to them. Dozens or hundreds of factory workers, and everyone connected to them. Your “Canadian office” will still employ Canadians for admin, sales, warehouse, etc.
How would that not be better?
To reiterate: Buying from a locally-owned brand who also manufacturers locally is the best. But when given a choice between a company that makes goods in your country, and one that only sells imported goods from your country, the former is going to be more beneficial to the economy.
https://bcbuylocal.com/why-local/
Locally owned and operated businesses, even if they have some US integration/imports, still have significantly better return to the local and domestic economy, that one shouldn’t discourage it if they can’t go all the way from the start.
So you are arguing that Canadian companies produce in USA to export to Canada a lot??
What?
I’m saying that “Canadian companies” who manufacturer elsewhere, are worse than “foreign companies” who manufacturer within Canada using Canadian ingredients.
My metric, of course, if purely from an economical perspective. There are other factors to consider, too.
PetSmart itself is American owned. We switched our auto delivery (and brands) of pet food away from them.
Coca Cola is marked as European here, because it’s bottled and distributed by a local company.
People even argue it should not be Boycotted for that reason. Because it would harm local jobs too.
But I disagree completely, because it remains an American brand with American profits. If we use a local brand instead, all the jobs and profits are local.
Good point, though Tim Horton’s is owned by Restaurant Brands Intetnational, with headquarters in Toronto and Florida. RBI is in turn owned by shareholders, the largest of which is 3G capital, a Brazilian-American firm… so it’s complicated. Much American involvement, though!
Personally I don’t pay attention to the labels on the shelf. I look up the product origin myself and keep a list of all the non US items. I do try to buy Canadian first but I’ll take European, Australian, Japanese, or other origin products. No Loblaws. Ever. I refuse to buy products from some countries due to current matters occuring elsewhere on the planet …