Buy Canadian

Finally ran out of our stock of laundry and dishwashing supplies. Replaced all the made in US products with Canadian. Did a LOT of reading and settled with these products, both for their country of origin and for a more natural product. Will see how they do on softened well water. If we like them then we can start buying each in bulk amounts.

Nellie’s Laundry Soda (Canadian)
Nellie’s Oxygen Brightener (Canadian)
Unscented Company Dish Tabs (Canadian company, but made in France)
Elo’s Citric Acid powder (Canadian) for laundry rinse/softener and for making dishwasher rinse aid.

I'm drinking the Relaxation Blend at work and damn is it nice. Labrador Tea, Goldenrod, Nettle.

Intro from the article:

Earlier this year, I was invited to travel to Los Angeles to talk about Canadian music as an export commodity. I was to speak alongside folks discussing music from Sweden and South Korea. This seemed like a fun idea at the time.

As a long-time music journalist and a jury foreperson for the Polaris Prize, I take Canadian music pretty damn seriously. Thirty years ago, I remember staying up late to see the Tragically Hip on Saturday Night Live—introduced by Dan Aykroyd in a shirt emblazoned with “CANADA.” I wasn’t even that much of a fan, but there was something in me that wanted to root for a Canadian band attempting to make it in the United States of America.

In population and pop culture power, Canada is dwarfed by our neighbours to the south, but we’ve been able to punch above our weight for some time. From long-standing legends like Joni Mitchell, Oscar Peterson, Neil Young, and Céline Dion to more recent luminaries like Carly Rae Jepsen, the Weeknd, Tanya Tagaq, and, of course, Drake, it’s not hard to think of iconic musical Canucks. My initial plan was to discuss the successes and shifts, the history and trajectory, of our varied and successful music industry.

But then US president Donald Trump indicated that he wanted to get his hands on the True North Strong and Free. I knew that Trump’s fifty-first-state talk was being taken dead seriously when Canadians started booing the American anthem. As people told me I shouldn’t cross the border, and politicians started acting like hockey coaches entering a third period down by a couple goals, I realized that my lighthearted plans for the presentation needed to change.

Canada has been neglecting our (excellent and varied) music scene for the past decade. A post-pandemic evaluation of the government’s Canada Music Fund revealed that revenues are down: album sales fell by nearly 74 percent between 2015 and 2021. And according to data from the City of Toronto, live music venues are disappearing, with the city shuttering 15 percent of these spaces between 2020 and 2021.

There was an increase in pandemic-related support funding, but also a concern that this funding is nothing but temporary. In addition, the Department of Canadian Heritage, which is responsible for significant amounts of music funding related to production, touring, and more, has plans to cut $64 million in grants and contributions by 2026/27. The Canadian Live Music Association raised the alarm around funding last year, calling for an increase in resources to provide support to music production, touring, festivals, and venues. Long-standing Canadian content regulations mandate contributions from broadcasters that go to initiatives that provide financial support for musicians, but airplay quotas that provide essential visibility for artists have become difficult to police in the internet age amid the rise of streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.

At least the recently announced budget did extend a temporary two-year increase to the Canada Music Fund, offering $48 million over the next three years—there was also an unexpected announcement of funding to fuel a potential run for the Eurovision song contest.

With the US vocalizing threats to Canada’s sovereignty, cheering for Canadian music is less about hoping for our favourite artists to break through in America—it’s direct engagement in resistance. If we are all going to get those elbows up and fight a cultural war, we need to mobilize and strategize and consider what it really means to support music that is made in our own backyards.

Stopped buying from Uline once I realized (A) US money funnel, plus (B) Trump supporter with extremist views.

Only Canadian owned alternative I found was Whitebird, but their catalogue isn't as large. Any other options?

Food for thought

According to the lawsuit and interviews Garza gave to local media, the claims stem from a recorded meeting between Garza and Campbell’s Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer Martin Bally. Garza, who began working remotely for the company in September 2024, said he met Bally at a restaurant in late 2024 believing they would be discussing his salary.

Instead, Garza alleges the executive delivered an hourlong tirade criticizing the company’s products, disparaging employees and customers, and making racially offensive remarks about Indian colleagues.

Local 4 News in Detroit broadcast portions of the recording. In it, a speaker identified as Bally is heard saying, "We have st for fking poor people. Who buys our st? I don’t buy Campbell’s products barely anymore. It’s not healthy now that I know what the f*‘s in it."

He also referenced "bioengineered meat," saying, "I don’t wanna eat a piece of chicken that came from a 3D printer."

The recording, which lasted longer than an hour and 15 minutes, included what Garza said was a "disgusting" rant alleged to be made by Bally about his coworkers: "Fing Indians don’t know a fing thing," and "Like they couldn’t think for their f***ing selves," it said in part.

The recording also allegedly captured Bally admitting he came to work after consuming marijuana edibles.

I am looking for single serve (5g) packs for traveling. Has anybody seen any?

Edited to add: I actually found some on Amazon 😏 but still interested to see if somebody has tips for buying from a friendly place.

In my search for Canadian Bike Racks, I found three options:

1. Arkel Bike Racks - Their panniers are made in Canada and top quality.
2. Axiom Bike Racks
3. MEC Brand Bike Racks

Are there any others?

The very first G&T I ever had was absolutely delicious but I have never been able to find another one like that. Ive been told thay both good gin and good tonic make a huge difference so I was hoping for some Canadian recommendations.

Is anybody buying whey isolate from them? Right now I am buying Body Energy Club‘s clean isolate and it got quite pricey in recent months.

I see that Canadian Protein has vanilla with stevia and also unflavoured in bulk. Great pricing. How is the quality and (non) flavour?

I see some bad reviews regarding shipping and customer service that worries me a bit. Especially since they offer some sort of “shipping protection” for $7.99 at checkout?!

Any input would be appreciated!

The visuals are incredible.

I buy this every year, mainly for the gorgeous photos. Is there a Canadian equivalent that I could buy this year?

TORONTO - Interac Corp. says it has launched a new offering that gives Canadians more ways to pay for online purchases including directly through their bank account.

The company says the Konek payment solution is gradually being rolled out with Staples.ca as its first client, while for customers, access is limited for now to those who bank at BMO, National Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank or TD Canada Trust.

The option allows shoppers to pay through their debit or credit cards, or directly from their chequing, savings or line of credit accounts.

Purchases through bank accounts or a line of credit are being done through Interac Direct, which it says is a new digital payments solution with lower merchant fees.

Interac says it created the option in collaboration with Canadian financial institutions to offer more choices in how people pay online, while also lowering cart abandonment.

Kris Zanuldin, head of Konek, says in a statement that it offers a secure, homegrown alternative to international e-commerce payment solutions.

This is one of the advent calendars listed in our list of advent calendars manufactured in Canada at https://shopcanadianstuff.ca/advent-calendars-made-in.../

Purdy’s Chocolates advent calendars $30.00 each, including a braille option. They also offer a set of refill chocolates for $20.00 so you can reuse it next year.

Laura Secord offers 4 different advent calendars ranging from $16.99 to $39.99, notably the $16.99 advent calendar is neither identified as made in Canada nor as imported on Laura Secord’s website, while the other 3 are clearly identified as made in Canada. Approximately 20% of the products listed on their website are identified as imported.

The Newfoundland Chocolate Company has a traditional advent calendar for $17.99

Rogers Chocolates offers a variety of traditional advent calendars for $23.99

Stubbe Chocolates offers a traditional advent calendar for $49.00

Jacek Chocolate Couture offers a 24-chocolate advent calendar for $74.95

Chocolate Tales offers a 24 day advent calendar featuring chocolate truffles for $79.95

Chocolats Favoris has two advent calendars which comes with for chocolates per day either $45.99 or $46.99, they also all contain a golden ticket for a little chocolate surprise and a chance at the grand prize ticket for 1 year of mini fondue.

Naturally Vain offers an advent calendar of personal care products for $50.00 though it has been seen in Costco warehouses for $34.99.

Hello Dolly Pasteries has 3 cookie advent calendar options, ranging in price from $55.00 to $110.00. At the $55.00 price you’ll have the unusual opportunity to eat 24 mini hand‑stamped cookies (a different billionaire on each one!) with icing‑dipped backs. They also sell empty advent calendar boxes to make your own.

Serendipity Soy Candles offers a 24 candle advent calendar for $69.95

The County Bounty offers an Advent Calendar of 24 cans of unique sodas for $80.00.

The Savvy Company has a Gourmet Chocolate option ($149.00), as well as an Ontario Craft Cider ($149.00), Canadian Non-Alcoholic Advent Calendar ($129.00) and a Coffee Advent Calendar, ($149.00)

The Local Space offers and Advent Calendar box of local items for $149.99.

The Roasters Pack offers 25 day’s of coffe from 25 small-batch Canadian roasters for $139.95 (25x20g bags) or $249.95 (25x50g bags).

Oak and Willow offers unusual 12 day and 25 day “advent calendars” of cleaning supplies and personal care items, ranging in price from $155.00 to $305.00

This is why you use LibreOffice.

https://www.libreoffice.org/

I see a lot of the ones in the grocers are from the US.

Brompton folding bicycle clones. Crossposting

Edit: link to store $1199

Kingsdale Bikes

Any made in Canada?

Just wondering if there is a Darn Tough sock alternative here in Canada that has a similar quality/warranty as Darn Tough. Id run through 5 times as many socks if I didnt purchase them but I also would preffer to buy locally.

I saw this in their newsletter, feel free to pass this onto businesses that you know.

CIRA is always putting together different gift guides to provide Canadian shoppers with great gift ideas from Canadian small businesses. Share your information below to potentially be featured in one of our gift guides.

Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not be able to reply to everyone or guarantee that your website will be featured.

The requirements seem to be:

• My business uses a .CA domain as its primary domain name
• My business is Canadian
• My business website has an e-commerce checkout (for shipping or curbside pickup)