Supporting Canadian Products
It’s no secret, things are a little…intense right now. We recently saw the current-Canada-US aggression play out in the final game of the 4 Nations Hockey Tournament where Canada beat out the US team for the win. And in the same breath, Trump is once again committing to imposing 25% tariffs on Canadian goods coming into the US on March 4th. In turn, our politicians are threatening similar action. The looming trade war between Canada and the United States is creating a sense of fear and uncertainty for many Canadians, as well as those residing in Canada with study and work permits. With all the uncertainty in the air, alongside a renewed sense of patriotism and allegiance to Canada as a nation in the face of the current US administration’s grandiose, if completely un-hinged- plan to make Canada the “51st state,” we know many folks are wondering what they can do to support Canadian companies and products. We’re feeling the same, and have put together some resources to achieve community resiliency and strategic priorities.
At OCSU, we are proud to stand by a mandate of using sustainable and ethically sourced products for all promotional and frosh materials wherever possible. We believe that we must care for our planet, be accountable and conscious of our consumption, and aim to provide reusable, recycled and/or recyclable materials at every reasonable opportunity. We also acknowledge our responsibility to seek fair trade and/or ethically sourced consumables for our events.
Are you unsure of how best to support Canada at this time? It can be confusing to know where to look and what to look for. Being a conscious consumer is more important now than ever, and like us you probably want to know where your goods are coming from. Just because a product says it was made in Canada, does that mean all its parts and components are also from Canada, or was it simply assembled in Canada? It can be confusing to understand the difference between ‘Made in Canada’ and ‘Product of Canada’. Here are some great resources you can use to help educate yourself on what these labels mean, and how to make informed decisions at the grocery store and shops.
https://madeinca.ca/grocery-store-guide/
https://provisioned.ca/blogs/news/whats-the-difference-between-made-in-canada-vs-product-of-canada
https://bc.supportlocalcanada.com/
Are you looking to go really local? Your Students’ Union has a list of Local and provincial businesses with student discounts available to members. You can find the free app to access these deals through this link for both Android and Apple. If you find yourself traveling around BC, this discount program also shows you local businesses with student discounts available in many other BC communities like Vancouver, Victoria, and Prince George.