These days, when I香蕉视频直播檓 out grocery shopping, the process takes longer than it did in the past.
In addition to checking prices, ingredients and nutrition labels 香蕉视频直播� things I香蕉视频直播檝e watched for many years 香蕉视频直播� I香蕉视频直播檓 now paying careful attention to where the food comes from. I香蕉视频直播檓 looking to buy foods and other items from Canada, preferably from here in British Columbia, whenever possible.
Elsewhere I香蕉视频直播檓 looking for Canadian products and services, or international brands manufactured in Canada.
I香蕉视频直播檓 not alone in this quest.
There are groups on social media where people are recommending Canadian or non-U.S. brands instead of the more common American brand names.
A number of apps have been developed for smartphones, allowing customers to scan a barcode to determine where a product was made.
O SCANada and Shop Canadian were both launched in early February. Proudly Buying Canadian was updated in February to provide more detailed information about which items are Canadian-made and which are assembled in Canada using foreign parts. Canadian Finder (Otto) was also introduced this year.
Grocery stores and other retailers are also getting involved. Stores are displaying signs around certain items to show they are made in Canada or products of Canada. And there are signs explaining what these two terms mean.
Something labelled as Product of Canada must have at least 98 per cent of the total direct cost of manufacturing incurred within Canada, while something labelled Made in Canada must meet a threshold of at least 51 per cent, under federal law.
What is happening in Canada today is unlike previous consumer actions. Earlier, many boycott initiatives and calls to shop locally tended to be short-lived, often fizzling out within days.
This time, the effort to buy Canadian is continuing.
The difference is because of something affecting Canada at a national and international level.
At the end of last year and continuing into this year, the U.S. president has made repeated comments about bringing in Canada as the 51st American state. These are not jokes, and many Canadians are repulsed by the idea.
Then, when the U.S. president spoke of implementing heavy tariffs of Canadian goods, things became more serious. Canadian leaders have promised retaliatory tariffs in response, which would result in a tariff war between the two countries.
The tariffs, implemented on March 4, mean a rate of 25 per cent for items Canada imports from the U.S. The U.S. tariffs are similar, but with a lower tariff on fuels and crude oil.
For Canadians, this means American goods will become a lot more expensive.
It would be easy to hold on to past shopping patterns until tariffs take place, but many shoppers took action in advance, before there was a financial benefit to doing so.
The concept of shopping for Canadian products and services is something that matters to many.
Instead of feeling downtrodden and disheartened as a result of the ongoing insults from the U.S. and now the tariff war, Canadians are choosing to embrace this country like never before.
The action among shoppers demonstrates that they do not want to see Canada as an extension of the U.S. This country has its own unique identity, one cherished by many.
One place where this renewed national pride is showing itself is at the store checkout counters.
John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review.
