let's see: even "the Bay", as I understand it, as well as "Zellers", let alone that Wally thing, are american... how exactly are we supposed to "Buy Canadian?" after the church bazaar closes?

Given how many items are produced overseas, I will also be supporting the economies of many countries. I'm doing my best to ensure that the economy is being supported in a sustainable and fair way.

Are you putting your shopping money into our economy, or the US?

I just returned from visiting my sister in the US for Thanksgiving, and our car dropped approx $1200 there. ($400/max per person).

The shopping was comraderie in 4am price breaker specials, and helped to cover the costs of us visiting with my sis & her family for thanksgiving...

We added pollution in driving there, but, we probably added to all of our good mood for the month until she gets back to Canada

Questions that might be asked:

Did that money go into the US economy?
Taxes did
Retail sales did, so supported N. Wisconsin people
Profits did for mfg firms
Cost of goods, probably went into China, Mexico, and other countries.
Some of it was spent at local stores in Wisconsin, which could use the money, some were at chains who are the same as in Canada.

Another way to word the question might be:

Can you identify what is mfg'd in Canada, versus packaged in Canada?

How does the globalization of mfg'ing impact those in other countries, whose middle class is developing? What environment impacts are there?

Should we be building product in China in an equitable/environmentally friendly manner, or should we never build anywhere but Canada?

Should we shop at stores such as AE, BestBuy, or just at local stores, or even better, local mfg stores.

What about pre-rprinted prices with cdn prices almost double the US price. I bouhgt calendars for $4 after sale/discount, which had a cdn price of $14.99. note does not include 10% tax saving. Their tax is 5.5 and ours is 15%.

I do my utmost to boycott with my small spend all U.S. products because of the mayhem, terror, bloodshed and destruction the U.S. wreaks on so much of the world. I have not much sympathy for the Canadian economy either: it is bloated and ugly. I try to buy what I buy from smaller countries with weak economies even if it is more expensive, not that it makes any real difference. But it makes me feel more in charge of my own life, and what I can't afford I almost always find I really don't need anyway.

What a bizarre question.

I am doing my best not to add to the bloating of Christmas. We have cut back drastically on the gifts, and often make gifts to charities for the adults on our list.

So I guess, I am trying to add to God's economy.

My favourite place to shop at this time of year is Ten Thousand Villages - fair trade, organic, and fair wage products that make unique gifts and me feel like I'm doing some small good in the world.

This is an unfortunate question. It has become literally impossible to buy Canadian, as there are almost no truly Canadian owned or operated companies, manufacturers or products left, including, most distressingly, food products. The best we can hope for these days is to shop for a product, manufactured overseas, from a store geographically located in Canada (not a Canadian owned store, by the way). I don't believe that this is contributing significantly to "our" economy.

I say this with sorrow and resignation, but also with a faint hope that someone can prove me wrong.

As a previous poster pointed out, I don't even know if it is possible to define a Canadian product. The best we can hope for, and this is very sad, is to buy a product manufactured in a foreign country packaged here for a Canadian distributer labelled "Made in Canada".

They say that competition is about creating choice. But globalized competition, and the re-engineering of our labelling and regulatory laws, HAS REMOVED MY CHOICE to purchase, or even determine, Canadian companies, manufacturers, and products.

I came across this website through an Ad in Canadian House & Home: "The Canadian Issue". On pg 78 is an article about shopping for Canadian antiques.
One line, buried deep in the page, gave me pause:
"Almost every village in 19th century Canada had its own iron foundry, which made high-quality fences, carriage parts, stoves, pots, planters and fireplace components."

Nowadays, almost nothing is manufactured locally, making us extremely vulnerable to the vicissitudes of global economic "sturm und drang". I believe we've also bartered away our cultural autonomy in the bargain, but that's a subject for another post.

Hard to see this as anything even remotely like progress. I would love to be able to support "our" economy. I would love it if someone could tell me how that's even possible anymore.

I object to the term "America" Canada is part of the American continent - as is Mexico.etc. If youwant to refer to the United States - call them that!

We will be supporting our Canadian economy with our Christmas purchasing in so far as we will shop in Canada. Unfortunately not all goods are Canadian made and not all companies are Canadian owned but as much as we can we will support our local economy.

Cross border shopping has already caused Canadian prices to drop. If Canadian businesses want Canadians to shop in Canada, then they should bring their prices more in line with reality and stop ripping us off. Most of the prices are taxes and profit. There should be an excess profit tax and give the tax to the seniors.

I'm putting my dollars into the Canadian economy!

I try to buy locally within my community as much as possible. I support the shops within our small rural town. Does that mean I buy Canadian. Most things these days are made in China. I was lucky to see that something I purchased recently at a Wal-Mart was actually made in Canada. The Wal-Mart although situated in the next town was still within my 30 KM radius that I adhere to. By purchasing in stores here in Canada I am supporting our economy because Ikeep people employed here. I do not specifically drive across the border to shop however I do shop in the States when I visit my sister. I also tank up in the US when I am visiting. I sleep soundly knowing that I help wherever I can with our economic situation.

I agree with the writer' disertation with respect that we appear to be importing everything that we once manuftactured locally ourselves in our own facttories and ironworks.
Howerver currently we are in a surplus position with respect to trade. Our exports traditionally are out perfoming our imports.
But the downside to this is our exports are heavily slanted towards our non renewable resources and our nuclear expertise in our production of our Candar technology.
I emphaize with you when you can barely find a product that hasnt been produced offshore and most often in Asia.
However i do shop in Canada and support our local business owners.
Since the inflated dollar has now equalized against the american dollar we are finding just as many bargains here as over the border. The big box stores and local merchants are gradually getting the message that if they are not competitive with their americana competitors they will lose bigtime.

I have purchased all my goods in Canada. I am surprised so little has been said about taxes. Our taxes allow us to have a state that takes care of those in need and the many other priveledges we injoy as Canadians. I don't know who gets the jobs for making goods or for packaging the product but I know that if I purchase it in Canada some of that money goes towards my society and not another.

I am also concerned about how much possession has come to mean in our society. Even the purchasing of these possessions has become a moement of family quality time.

I think we would all be better of, myself included, if we spent less time and money on presents and more of both on charity.