YOU SAID IT: The shop Canadian challenge

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THE SHOP CANADIAN CHALLENGE

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With the tariff dispute, we are advised to “shop Canadian.” Well, I wanted to do my patriotic duty, so I went to the store to buy shirts, pants, underwear, socks and jammies. Guess where they are made? India, Bangladesh, China and Mexico. Skip those items.

I tried dress shoes only to find out they were made in China. Skip shoes and let’s try winter clothing, but most of it was again made in China and Colombia. What else should I try? Watches from Canada? They are Swiss-made. O.K., skip the watch, too.

I felt like shouting over the intercom, “I want to buy Canadian to send a message!” but how can I do that when what I wanted to buy comes from somewhere else?

Next I tried some fruits and veggies. Most of the bananas came from South America. Avocados from California and Mexico. O.K., skip that, too.

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I thought of seeing only Canadian-made movies, but not much choice there, either. Skip movies, too. Try music. Haven’t heard any new songs from Justin Bieber, either. Skip that.

How much maple syrup, maple cookies and maple candies can I buy? How much Ontario wine can I drink? That would be overloading myself. Skip that as well.

Oh, well, I finally just went to Tim Hortons and got coffee and a doughnut.

ANANT NAGPUR
OTTAWA

SO IT’S ALL TRUDEAU’S FAULT?

Re: YOU SAID IT: Not Trump’s fault, letter to the editor, Feb. 4

The economic warfare against Canada launched by Donald Trump is an excuse for an American president to bully a smaller and weaker nation. The rationale he gave, about a flood of illegal immigrants from Canada, has no basis in fact; neither does the claim that fentanyl pours across the border.

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Most competent countries control their own borders; they do not expect their neighbours to do it for them. Less than one per cent of fentanyl that enters the U.S. comes across the U.S.-Canada border. A far higher percentage of illegal firearms in Canada arrives from the U.S. Maybe we should ask Trump to control that?

Make no mistake, Canadians will not fall for the lily-livered call to bow before the irrational demands of a convicted felon.

JOHN LEHR
WINNIPEG

HAVE YOUR SAY

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