It always was, now it's being promoted

Western Family flour on the shelf at Save-On Foods

See that little "Product of Canada" sign on the shelf? That means that, "At least 98% of the total direct costs of producing or manufacturing the good have been incurred in Canada".

This bag of flour has always been a "Product of Canada", but it was not until the US threatened to slap a 25% tariff on all Canadian-made goods that brands and retailers started to make such a big deal out of country of origin.

The other category of Canadian goods is "Made in Canada". (See sign below.) 

"Shop Canadian" sign at Save-On Foods

As the sign states, "Made In Canada" has a lower threshold for Canadian content. "At least 51% of the total direct costs of producing or manufacturing the good have been incurred in Canada".

Not as Canadian, but for Canadian patriots still preferable to made elsewhere.

I think we'll see more of this sort of country of origin branding on in-store signage, and I fully expect to see this declaration to appear more prominently on product packaging very soon.

Start your jet the same way you start your car

 

Cockpit of a HondaJet Elite II
(Source: https://www.hondajet.com/en/Products/HondaJet-Elite-II) 

Engine Start Buttons for a HondaJet Elite II
(Source: https://www.hondajet.com/en/Products/HondaJet-Elite-II) 

Engine Start/Stop Button for a 2019 Honda Civic Coupe (Source: https://finance.mymotors.ca/inventory/used/695/2019/Honda/Civic%20Coupe)

I guess I really shouldn't be surprised that Honda uses similar technology across a number of its products. It makes perfect sense. If the technology has been proven reliable in millions of motor vehicles, it is not too much of a stretch to believe that it will work on a jet aircraft.

I wonder where else Honda and adapted/reused automobile technology its its aircraft?

How did she get the UTI?

In-store poster at Shoppers Drug Mart

With recent changes in regulations, pharmacists can now prescribe medications for a variety of minor conditions. One of them is UTI. (Urinary Tract Infection)

But when I first saw this poster I thought that an obvious conclusion was that she got the UTI from the pharmacist. Perhaps not the intended message, but not a ridiculous leap of logic.

Ready for March (And 25% tarrifs.)

 

Advertisment for Leclerc cookies/biscuits on the CBC website

The threat of 25% tarrifs on all Canadian goods exported to the USA has resulted in a surge in demand for Canadian-made products, and also an increase in the promotion of Canadian produced foods. (I saw this advertisement on the CBC website.)

Cookie/biscuit makers such as Leclerc and Dare are rightfully highlighting the Canadian content of their products. Made in Canada, using Canadian flour and butter.

While chocolate is an imported ingredient, at least it is not imported from the USA, and thus will escape any increased tarrifs.  

I'm sure that all Canadian food manufacturers hope that the trade war will lead to a permanent change in shoppers buying patterns. Time will tell. But in the meanwhile, there is no downside to Canadian businesses promoting themselves as Canadian.

An understandable reaction

Sign in the front window of a Dairy Queen franchise

These types of signs are popping up all across Canada. Companies are trying to make it perfectly clear that even though their brand may be American, they are an important part of the Canadian economy.

Why these firms didn't think that their role in the Canadian economy was important before is a bit of a mystery. But better late than never. 

Back in the saddle again

I've been offline for six years. In the meanwhile I've had to deal with a bunch of turmoil in my personal life. 

My wife passed away very suddenly and I was thrust into the unexpected role of single parent.

I moved 50 kilometres closer to work, and then there was some pandemic or other that screwed things up.

Some of the 500 boxes I moved.

But I'm going to attempt to stick to a schedule of sorts.

• Monday - Marketing
• Tuesday - Trade and International Business
• Wednesday - Weirdness
• Thursday - Technology (Both on-line and off-line)
• Friday - Food and Drink
• Weekend - Wildcard (For posts that do not fit anywhere else.)

Being a single parent, and a post-secondary/tertiary professor, my time is rarely my own. But I have good intentions, I just hope that they are not paving the road to hell.