Buy Canadian First - Your destination for good shopping

Have you seen the cars that are made in Canada?  I am smitten with the Dodge Challenger  from Buy Canadian First member, Dodge Canada, but I covet the Camaro  from Buy Canadian First member, Chevrolet. I would order it in "Inferno Orange".

There is just one wee problem with this grand and lovely dream; I do not have a driver's license! This from the girl who learned how to drive a stick shift when she was twelve and who rode a quad in the Interlake region of Manitoba's farmland,  where I also spent some hours in trucks and tractors with my uncle on the fields.  I am now in my thirties and no, my license hasn't been suspended or removed; I just never obtained one.

I now own a 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera (which may been assembled in Quebec); my son's twin as he, too, was born in 1994! A gift from my step-dad, the car was his father's and now my son has "adopted" it as his own (fat chance). As I write this,  he is installing a whole new sound system. I hope it's Canadian made!

The process of learning to drive has been a labour of love. A dear friend of mine has taken several Saturdays out her life from her family to teach me how to drive. We've had adventures in southern Manitoba, including burger stands in St. Pierre Jolys and farmers markets in St. Malo.  It was a lovely time, and I discovered I do not spend nearly as much time with my friends as I would like to. When I first obtained my learner's permit in 1992, the rules were much different. When you passed your test you were free to drive. These days,  Manitoba public insurance has implemented graduated licensing that includes restrictions such as only one passenger between midnight and five am to not being able to teach a beginner to drive.  This is truly a bummer as my son is an excellent driver; all the rules of the road are fresh in his mind and he is as patient as the day is long, but legally,  he can't take me out on the road. He did teach me to parallel park in 25 minutes. So I shall seek out a few more volunteers and take some professional lessons that should help me acquiring my license.

I am going to book my road test again. As much as I am disappointed I didn't pass any of the previous tests, I am happy for the lessons I am learning. It will just make my shiny orange inferno 2012 Camaro that much safer when I am licensed to drive ... or maybe I'll stick with my Olds, for now,  with its  'balling' new sound system!

What is your favourite Canadian made car? 

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First Member Chevrolet Canada and Andrea Willowcat.

September is here at last, bringing with it the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Did you know this festival is now the second largest in the world, after Cannes? Growing every year, this Made in Canada event attracts a myriad of Hollywood celebrities and industry giants. For 10 days each September, all eyes are on Canada! We LOVE that!

This year, Buy Canadian First is very proud to be a part of this great festival, through our supply of swag bags filled with products Made-in-Canada for one of the parties taking place at the beautiful Bell Lightbox. The event is organized by Myriad Pictures to celebrate the launch of their new Canadian distribution company:  Cross Country Entertainment. The party will be attended by American and Canadian media and industry executives, as well as international screen stars. The invite list includes, amongst others, Katie Holmes, Canadian cutie Jay Baruchel,  Stanley Tucci (loved him in Julie & Julia!), Malin Ackerman, etc.

Our gift bags, filled with great Canadian-made products, will be given out to the attendees. How exciting! But even more exciting: you could win your very own swag bag! We are giving away 5 of those beauties to 5 lucky winners! To enter, read on!

So what's in there, you ask? Here's a sneak peak at the companies who's great Canadian-made products will be in the bags...

We'll be attending the party and we'll be joined by the girls of Show Me Your Canada. It will be a blast! Stay tuned for updates & photos!

To enter the giveaway, do as many of the 3 following things as possible, as they each count for one entry. The more the merrier (and luckier)!

• Leave us a comment below telling us who your favourite Canadian actor or actress is;
• Follow us on Twitter and mention the following: @BuyCndianFirst loves@TIFF_NET  #madeincanada;
• Like us on Facebook and write on our Wall who your favourite Canadian actor or actress is.

The giveaway ends on Sunday, September 18th at 5:00 PM ET. We will pick 5 names at random from all entries and the winners will be announced on Monday, September 19th.

Good luck!

THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. WINNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED.

I was very excited to have the opportunity to interview our first Canadian made  author, Kelley Armstrong, for the Buy Canadian First Book Club! You can read my review of this book in last week's Good Shopper Blog.  I also have a book winner to announce at the end of this post! 

GSB: Kelley, thank you so much for taking the time to answer a few questions.  We are honoured to have you as our first author, to showcase your work and to celebrate Canadian authors. We're starting with your first published novel, which is also the first novel in the Women of the Otherworld series - "Bitten".  I've read that you sold "Bitten" in 1999, though it wasn't published until 2001.  How much would you say has changed in the last 12 or 13 years in your writing style and thought process as you write?

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KA: I’ve been writing all my life, and I’m still always trying to improve.  I see writing as a craft, meaning there’s always room for improvement.  I know I’ve gotten better in some areas—like pacing—but I’m still working on others, like description. My style is constantly evolving, but I think my writer's voice remains recognizable, no matter what I'm doing.

GSB: On the same note, it's been 10 years since "Bitten" was first published. As you've continued with the "Women of the Otherworld", series have you ever wished you could have done something differently in "Bitten"?

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KA: There are always things I would change. When Bitten first came out in audio, I joked that the worst torture I can imagine would be tying me to a chair and forcing me to listen to it. I'd hear all the things that I wished I could change. One thing I'm sure I would change would be some of the "fact" on werewolves. I think I said there were only a couple dozen in North America. After twelve books and countless pieces of short fiction, I've probably killed off half of them! I just keep fudging the numbers, slowly increasing them so I have more allies and enemies to work with.

GSB: I love that your narrator, Elena, is from Toronto.  The Canadian references she makes, such as apologizing for stepping on some toes or meeting Clayton at the University of Toronto, are fun to read.  Was it important for you to keep a Canadian connection in your novel?

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KA: It was. I would have loved to set "Bitten" completely in Toronto, but the world-building meant it wasn't feasible. A few dozen werewolves in Canada would mean hundreds in the US. It would be hard to say that many could go undetected for centuries, especially considering that a percentage of them are man-killers. The closest I could get was to make Elena a Canadian and set chunks of the book in Toronto.

GSB: I've read in previous interviews that some of your influences include Stephen King and Anne Rice.  Are there any Canadians that you've looked to for inspiration?
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KA: Susie Moloney definitely inspired me, not personally, but through her own success.  I was writing "Bitten" at the time that her very successful second novel, "A Dry Spell", came out, and suddenly, in the news, I was seeing a Canadian woman who wrote supernatural fiction.  It helped me think that my 'dream' might not be as far-fetched as I thought.

GSB: I got so excited when I read that you live in Southwestern Ontario, went to UWO and took computer programming at Fanshawe College where I actually graduated from the Computer Programmer Analyst course there myself.  Do you see yourself as an inspiration to young Canadians in that not everyone has to be from New York or L.A. to follow their dreams?

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KA: I hope I do inspire some young Canadians to follow that dream. I know when I was growing up, the only Canadian authors I knew about wrote literary fiction. While there were plenty who did write fantasy or romance or mystery, they weren't the ones I heard about in school, so writing genre fiction didn't seem a viable career choice for a Canadian. It certainly is, though.

GSB: Thank you so much for chatting with me, Kelley! I'm looking forward to continuing the "Women of the Otherworld" series and to catching up with your latest book, "Spellbound", which was just released.  I'll also be getting started on your young adult series, including "The Darkest Powers" trilogy and your new "The Darkness Rising" trilogy.

Now is the time to get ready for our next book. We'll be reading "Room", the international bestseller and winner of the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize for best Canadian novel, by Canadian author, Emma Donoghue.  "Room" is the story of a five-year-old called Jack, who lives in a single room with his Ma and has never been outside. When he turns five, he starts to ask questions, and his mother reveals to him that there is a world outside. Told entirely in Jack’s voice, "Room" is no horror story or tearjerker, but a celebration of resilience and the love between parent and child.

Congratulation to our winner, Daniela Masaro! Daniela has won a copy of Kelley Armstrong's novel, "Bitten"!  I look forward to chatting about the book with you in our Buy Canadian First Book Club  and I will be in touch as to how you can claim your prize! To win a copy of "Room", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, September 19, 2011. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much for participating!

Images courtesy of Kelley Armstrong press kit and Buy Canadian First member, Chapters-Indigo.

I was about 11 years old when my parents got divorced, and I lived with my father until I left for university. When my Mom left, she gave my father a binder with seven recipes in it. My brother, father and I ate those seven recipes for the next seven years of my life.

Because I know you're wondering, the recipes were for hamburger soup, pork chops, Shake ‘N' Bake chicken, spaghetti, pizza and the much-hated sole. His seventh meal was flank steak, reserved for special occasions.

I went off to university, and cooked for myself for the next few years.

So, for some critical formative years, I ate in a kind of culinary desert.

The result? As an adult, I'm ambivalent, if not downright anhedonic about food. There are foods I moderately prefer to other foods, but, beyond health concerns, I'm not somebody who really cares about what I eat.

I used to not eat red meat for ethical reasons. Now I don't do it because it simplifies my eating decisions. When my wife is away, I'm happy eating the same food for two or three meals in a row. When faced with a restaurant menu, I scan it until I find something that appeals, and I stop there. I also don't drink alcohol, coffee or tea.

I'm not critical of people who find great joy or comfort in preparing and eating food. Well, I do think a subsection of foodies has a misbegotten sense of moral righteousness around their eating habits, but they're the exception.

But now I have to constantly think about food. I have to rigorously contemplate my every buying and eating decision. And you know what? It sucks.

With this in mind, will I miss anything over the next four months? I do drink Coke quite often, so that's a non-starter. And who doesn't like chocolate? I'll also miss the convenience of grabbing some sushi (or nearly anything, for that matter) for lunch.

The Rules

If I eat it at home, it has to be sourced in Canada. That's everything, from cooking oil to sugar to any processed food. I've been hosting some informative discussions on the One Year, One Canadian Facebook page which has helped me discover promising sources of Canadian bread, sugar and flour.

I've also been spending a lot of time at farmer's markets, asking irritating questions about Colin the chicken. I'll also spend some time this fall going right to the source to get food. I went snorkeling with a friend to catch the red rock crabs you see in the photo.

I don't plan to eat out that much, but when I do, I'm going to require that the main ingredients be sourced in Canada.

If you had to eat all-Canadian for a year, what would you miss most?

Read comments here.

Blog post re-printed with kind permission from  Darren Barefoot - 1Y1C.

Show Me Your Canada is a made in Canada TV show about four girls, Maude Lemieux, Rachelle Hamilton, Sarah Hansen and/et Summer Eastwood, on a cross Canada Road Trip, asking Canadians, coast to coast, to "Show Me Your Canada"!

Quatre filles issues d'une petite ville du Québec partent en road trip demandant a tous les Canadiens de leur montrer ce qu'est leur Canada.

Watch their trailer

GSB: Summer, can you tell me a bit more about each of the participants? Who are you all? Who's idea was this?

SMYC: We’re four friends from Ormstown, a small village in south-western Quebec. The idea was born out of a camping trip gone seriously awry by Sarah (Hansen) and myself (Summer Eastwood): long story short, a 2 hour drive to Vermont took us 9 and ended in Albany, NY! We got SO lost and a lot of funny/random/kind of scary things happened but we had the best time despite (or because of?) all of those things. From there the idea took off on its own: we decided to do a cross-country road trip but we figured we’d go crazy just the two of us before we reached Ontario, and immediately we thought of Rachelle (Hamilton) & Maude (Lemieux) right away as the perfect “up for anything” type of friends you’d want on this kind of trip. As a foursome, we clicked with the idea right away and have been working on developing it since this winter. We’re challenging ourselves to do it all on $100/day for food, lodging and gas and do it without our cell phones or GPS – it won’t be easy but we are up to it! We couldn’t help but think that filming this adventure would help us to get more people interested and on board to host us and we think that the four of us dealing with said parameters should be pretty entertaining!

Nous sommes quatre amies de longue date qui ont grandies à Ormstown, une petite ville au sud ouest du Québec. L’idée de ce projet est née lors d’une fin de semaine en camping qui s’est improvisé une heure avant de partir (Sarah Hansen et moi, Summer Eastwood). Pour faire une histoire courte, un trajet, qui normalement aurait pris 2 heures de route nous en a pris 9. Après nous être perdues et reperdues, nous avons finalement arrêté notre trajet en Albany, NY. Malgré que la route fût longue, il nous était arrivé tellement de choses drôles, bizarres et certaines presque effrayantes, que cette expérience surpassait toutes nos attentes face à ce road trip imprévu. De là, l’idée c’est formée; nous allions faire un road trip de l’est en ouest du Canada. Au départ, nous voulions partir que toute les deux, mais aussitôt que nous nous sommes emportés sur le sujet nous avons conclu que Rachelle Hamilton et Maude Lemieux serait les complices idéales pour cette aventure. Depuis, nous travaillons les quatre sur le projet et de merveilleuses idées en sont sorties.

SMYC: So far, all we know is that we’re going to be starting in Cape Spear, NL on or around June 1, 2012 and ending in Victoria, BC Labour Day Weekend. There are a few things we definitely want to hit along the way, for example it’s the Calgary Stampede’s 100th anniversary this year and we have to make that! But we also realize that there’s no adventure in a trip that has been planned down to the minute before it even begins.

Jusqu’à présent, tout ce que nous savons c’est que nous allons débuter notre expérience à Cap-Spear, situé sur la pointe de terre la plus à l’Est de l’Amérique du Nord, aux alentours du 1er juin 2012 et terminer le tout à Victoria en Colombie Britannique autour de la fête du travail. Nous nous sommes déjà entendues pour arrêter à Calgary pour fêter le 100ième anniversaire des Stampedes, mais nous ne croyons pas possible le fait d’établir un itinéraire fixe à la minute près sans même être encore embarquées dans la voiture.

 Part 2 tomorrow!

:: images courtesy of Show Me Your Canada.

French translation courtesy of Maude Lemieux. 

Welcome to the first book review for our new Buy Canadian First Book Club! Join the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook where we discuss books, authors, browse helpful guides and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won, next Monday, when my interview with Kelley Armstrong, is published!!

"Bitten ", from Canadian author, Kelley Armstrong , is the first book in her "Women of the Otherworld" series and her first published novel.

First and foremost, "Bitten" is a book about werewolves. While I would put it in the same category with books like the Twilight series or the Sookie Stackhouse series, it's truly a stand-out novel. "Bitten" starts out with our main character, Elena Michaels. She's already a werewolf going about her life. No huge build-up, no drawn out, emotional love story and I love it! We learn her story in bits and pieces throughout the novel, which I thought was a new, fresh and interesting way to really tell two stories at once.

 

Starting off in Toronto, where Elena is trying to live a normal life. Upon hearing that her pack is in trouble, she must fly off to Stonehaven, in up-state New York, to aid in their fight. The book reveals some interesting werewolf lore as the pack must fight "mutts" who are killing on pack territory.

 

I loved the Canadian connections Kelley constantly brought into the story - which we'll hear more about in my interview with Kelley Armstrong next week. It's exciting to read about Elena walking down the streets of Toronto or meeting her ex-fiancée Clayton (also a werewolf) at the University of Toronto. Having the character in places you might have been yourself really brings you even closer to the story.

 

The book was fast paced, exciting and, while there were some interesting relationships, it wasn't too sexy and didn't have me rolling my eyes at any graphic love scenes. I'm looking forward to picking up Kelley Armstrong's second book in the series - "Stolen".

 

Contest Giveaway:

 
Here's a chance to win your own copy of Kelley Armstrong's book, "Bitten", and read along with us! The winner will be announced in my interview with Kelley Armstrong, here on the Good Shopper blog, next Monday. Just answer the question and put your answer in the comment section below. Good luck!

 
What is the name of the last book you read by a Canadian author?

 

Images courtesy of Kelley Armstrong's press kit.

There are still a few weeks of glorious Summer left to enjoy, but, I know that I will once again have to face another Canadian  Winter down the road. I like to line up new classes and activities for myself at this time of the year. I think that is because the day after Labour Day always seems like New Year's Day. It's a back-to-school feeling that I'll never lose! It also takes my mind off the sad fact that another beautiful Canadian  Summer is almost over. Here are some of the "New Year's"resolutions that I am making for this September. 

 CG Hart Gym Bag

Just for fun, this Fall I am going to attempt a 5K run! Now, I'm not a runner, by any means, but I found a smartphone app called "Couch to 5K" that promises to get me running, using baby steps! I can do baby steps, no problem! You can find several apps to help you get off the couch. Just search in your smartphone store and choose the one that you think is best for you. If you don't have a smart phone, or would just rather use your computer, the Cool Running  site has some cool running tips, tricks and articles to get you started. You can print out a 5K running plan, keep a log and meet lots of other former couch potatoes, too!

 Barbo Ballerina Slipper 

 After watching So You Think You Can Dance Canada,  all Summer, I think that I want to dance! Don't tell my husband, but I've been browsing the brochures that come out at this time of year, offering every sort of dance class imaginable! Dance classes are a great way to sneak exercise into your life! But what to choose? Tap, Ballet, Latin, Ballroom, Modern, Jazz, Hip Hop, Break or Whacking all look good! Maybe it will be just a matter of taking what is available on my chosen night. Will my husband dance to my tune? I'll let you know!

 Chapters-!ndigo 

 Another activity that I am planning this Fall is to learn how to use a stylus and tablet to create digital art. I am going to do this with a book, called "Digital Expressions" by Susan Tuttle, that I got from Chapters. It was on sale and it comes with a CD! There are all sorts of books that come with CDs now, on every sort of topic. I think that the CD will take the book to another dimension and make it seem more like a workshop! Can't wait to start!

Speaking of books, don't forget to read Stacey Kazmir's  blog post this coming Monday, where she reviews "Bitten" and gives you a chance to win it! 

 Are you making any "New Year's" resolutions this Fall? 

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members. 

I can't believe summer is almost over ALREADY! Wasn't it just yesterday that we were putting out the patio furniture and planting the vegetables in the garden?  And now we're working on getting the kids back to school. Crazy...

Thankfully, the late-summer weather is beautiful today and perfect for a Montreal-Ottawa-Montreal drive. I had the pleasure of doing 2 segments on /A\ Morning in the capital this morning: all about back-to-school, made in Canada! As usual, we drove up the night before so we could enjoy an evening in Ottawa. This time around, we stayed at the Canadian-owned Delta Hotel on Queen Street. While my husband and son headed out for dinner, I ordered room service and went over my notes for the next day's segments. The grilled veggie sandwich they brought up to my room was out of this world! Just enough Cambozola cheese, and lots' of great veggies. YUMMY! Next time you're in town, do yourself a favour and stop-by for one of those. I promise you will not be disappointed!

First segment:

 Watch it here.

In the first segment, we featured a really nifty new (to me) product: liquid vitamin D supplements made in Ontario by Ddrops Company. In recent years, after being told to stay out of the sun by the entire medical establishment, it now seems that many Canadians are suffering from Vitamin D deficiency! You see, vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin. So now, we either stay in the sun to get the vitamin D (bad) or stay out of the sun and take supplements (good). If your family is like mine, no one likes to take "pills", even if they are just vitamins. But now, no need for that. Ddrops has created liquid supplements for the whole family, and a single drop each day is all that is required. Add it to the morning juice or coffee, and you're done for the day! No one even needs to know it's in there: the drops are odorless and tasteless. They are also preservative-free, sugar-free, wheat-free, gluten-free, soy-free, corn-free, milk-free and peanut-free. LOVE THAT!

Next up are those great ice packs to keep our kids lunches fresh, cool & safe to eat. I love the Cryopak ice packs: super-durable, they come in many different sizes and colours, making it easy for everyone to keep track of their own! Also, they are very affordable and are sold in many dollar stores across the country. Buying Canadian on a budget: AWESOME! Manufactured by Montreal-based Cryopak for over 40 years, they are must-haves in my house.

And finally, eco-friendly school supplies made in Quebec by a truly green company: Storex. Since 1998, Storex has been manufacturing an ever-expanding line of PVC-free office and school supplies. PVC is often found in imported plastic items and has been linked to learning disabilities, cancers, etc. But none of that at Storex.  Want to hear something even better: all their products are recyclable! That's right, when you're done with them, simply pop them into your recycling bin and they will have a brand new life as something completely different...or as a new version of themselves! Because, guess what, their products are actually made from recycled material! The percentage of recycled material in each item varies from 25% to 100%, depending on the product. Bright, cheerful and colourful products that can even be personalized with your company, school or team logo. VERY COOL!

Second segment:

Watch it here. 

After a quick commercial break (during which my hair got all messed up and I had no idea the camera was rolling while I was trying to fix it...lol) , we were back with a truly sensational product line: I.C.E. tags (In Case of Emergency). They say the best products are always the simplest, and I agree with that. There is nothing simpler that these tags, and at the same time, they can truly be life-savers. Think about it, if something were to happen to you or a loved one, how would emergency personnel know who to contact? Um... good question. Ottawa-based  Gwen Staltari has the answer: personalized tags listing 2 names and phone numbers of people to contact In Case of Emergency. She has a complete (and still expanding) line of products to fit all needs: wallet cards, key rings, dog-tags (for humans, not dogs!) and my favourites: ones you attached to your helmet or loop your shoelaces through. Affordable, simple and invaluable: something every family member should have. Thanks for thinking about it Gwen, I'll be ordering a family-pack!

As usual, thanks to all the Buy Canadian First members who participated and a great big thank you to the amazing crew at /A\ Morning. See you soon!

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Ddrops Company, Cryopak, Storex and I.C.E. In Case of Emergency.

Invitations: For fun, the boys created their own invitations to invite Gramma, their aunts, uncles and cousins to their party. The boys decorated the invitations with stickers from Canadian company Sandylion Sticker Designs.

Food: The sandwich and wrap platter will be made by a locally owned sub shop that uses local ingredients. Fruit and veggie trays will be made up from products bought from the local farmers' market. The best part, the cake, will be made by a local cake maker.

Decorations: To be made by the kiddos and me at home - tissue paper flowers and party hats.

Presents: One of the boys' presents include this Rally Racer Car from Buy Canadian First member, Organically Hatched. It was purchased at a locally owned toy shop.

Games: We're borrowing this Cars - Bean Bag Toss from a neighbour. It's made by Buy Canadian First member, Gladius. Prizes will include cookies and other local treats from the market.

Playtime: Our party is being held at a local, public park so there will be lots of balls tossed, kites flown, running around and relaxing in the sun. After our fantastic lunch and party, we'll be visiting Storybook Gardens - an exciting family place with animals, rides, games, play areas, splash pads, entertainment, and more.

Have you added Canadian made products to a recent party?

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Organically Hatched and Gladius.

Calling all parents and their little ones! Nature Clean®, is hosting meet and greet sessions with the lovable character, Ruby, from Treehouse’s popular show, "Max & Ruby"! You can meet Ruby at various Loblaw’s locations  across the greater Toronto area this August. If you bring your camera, you are invited to join Ruby and her team for a picture, free samples and other fun goodies!

 

 

It's 9 o'clock: we have to go! We're heading out to Toronto, 500 kms away, to appear on CTV's Canada AM. You see, we're closing off Made-in-Canada week and our job is to show the diversity of products made in this great country of ours. That's easy enough; that's what we do every day!

So off we go on our latest adventure! My husband and I have a routine when we go to Toronto. We stop halfway in beautiful Kingston and have lunch at the Wooden Heads restaurant. Today, the sky is menacing but we still manage to eat on the terrace and stay dry! We share a pizza and salad, relax with a glass of Ontario wine, then head back down the 401.

We get to our hotel around 5 PM. Nice to get out of the car! We always stay at the Holiday Inn Express when we go to the CTV studios, as it is a 5 minute drive away and no danger of getting stuck in traffic and missing our live TV date!

After a nice dinner and a good night's sleep, we show up at the studio with plenty of time to set-up before air-time. As usual, everyone is friendly, kind and very welcoming. Feels so nice!

A few butterflies in the stomach, but nothing too bad. As usual, despite lot's of planning & preparing, it all comes down to 4 minutes of ‘'spontaneous'' conversation with a great host (need I say more...it's Seamus!) about some amazing Canadian companies and their products.  I open my mouth and something comes out, with all the passion of my convictions! Good or bad, it's done in just a few minutes! 

You can watch the segment here.

Today, it was priviledge and thrill to showcase the great Canadian-made products below:

1) High-fashion hosiery made in Montreal by Reliable Hosiery since the 50s. This company is also the last remaining sock manufacturer in Canada, and can produce customized & personalized socks with any designs you wish! Very cool!

2) Designer handbags and slippers hand-made in Cape Breton by twin sisters Michelle & Monique, under the brand Michique. Unique, beautiful and head-turning, these creations are garnering attention from celebrities around the world. Just back from Cannes, where they were invited to participate in one of the famous gifting suites, the ladies are on a roll!

3) Canada's wines are now competing against the best on the international scene, and one of our best wineries is Closson Chase Vineyard in Prince Edward County. Winemaker Deborah Paskus specializes in Pinot noir and Chardonnay which will simply blow your (Canadian) socks off! I am a HUGE fan of Chardonnays, and have samples more than I can remember, but these ones stand out from the crowd. Give them a try an dlet m eknow what you think!

4) Company coming and you forgot to chill the wine? No problem. A Quebec company has invented a nifty gadget: the Ravi instant wine refresher. Keep the Ravi in the freezer, and simply pop it onto the uncorked bottle. Pour the wine out through the Ravi, and it will come out chilled to just the right temperature...in 7 seconds. Awesome!

5) What does Barry Bonds and Jose Bautista have in common? They both use the 2K1 solid maple bat made in Ottawa by Sam Bat to set their amazing records!

6) Who knew we made heavy-duty gardening tools in Canada? If it's top quality and super-durable, you know Ottawa-based Lee Valley Tools will have on their shelves!

7) The show's producers specifically requested we bring at least one item 100% made in Canada, from locally-sourced material. Everything had to be made here, including the packaging. We were happy to oblige! Introducing: a line of games for all ages, made in Quebec by Editions Gladius. Although licensees of Hollywood studio characters, they are all-Canadian!

8) Safety first. That's what's behind Tail Wags helmet covers, made in Toronto by Karyn Climans. With over 40 adorable designs, which fit all helmets from cycling, to snowboarding to equestrian, you're sure to find one that your kids (or you) will love!

9) Denise Dow from New Brunswick has a mission: spread Canadian pride across the country. Inspired and passionate, she has created a beautiful emblem bearing maples leaves and the words Strong & Free. She and her products are truly inspirational.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, I'm wearing my favourite Lundstrom dress, made in Toronto! 

Until next time...let's all get out there and buy Canadian!

Meantime, don't forget to enter our contest to win some these great products valued at almost $ 300. The contest ends today at 5 PM ET, so hurry!

Images courtesy of Isabelle Remy and Buy Canadian First members

As a Work at Home Mom or WAHM, it can be hard to take care of everyone's needs, especially when everyone needs something at the exact same time. There are some great made in Canada  products and online resources that can help work at home parents get through their day.

If you're a Canadian WAHM because you are running a small business, a great place to connect with others like you is the WAHM Canada Facebook page. They are a community of women who come together to help one another by promoting each others' businesses and by using each other as resources. It's also a great place to find other small Canadian WAHM businesses to support.

A Kobo eReader Touch is a fantastic resource for reading PDF files on the go. You can quickly load your files at home and then read them while at the park, waiting on a school pick-up or at a baseball game. With a battery life of one month, you never have to worry if you've charged your Touch, or have a laptop battery die in the middle of reading.  The Kobo is available through Canadian company Chapters-Indigo.  Though the Canadian designed Kobo is actually made in Taiwan - too bad they can not produce it in Canada, I wonder why? 

Playgroups are a great way to get out for a couple of hours and meet other Mamas. Having a group of Moms supporting me means I have friends to call on when I need to run into the office or need some quiet time for a business meeting over the phone. A great way to find a playgroup near you is by using the website Playgroup Meetup Groups. It lists many groups available across Canada, I was able to enter my postal code and find some local playgroups in my area that I'd never heard of!

EcoAgendas, from Buy Canadian First member Ecojot, are a great way to keep track of a mixture of meetings, playdates and due dates. They are the right size to fit in your purse but not so small that you can't use them for a few notes during a meeting - they're perfect for a busy WAHM.

Do you have a WAHM resource to pass on to Canadian Moms?

Images courtesy of WAHM Canada, Meetup, Kobo and Buy Canadian First member Ecojot.

I'm a news junkie. There, I said it. Have been for as long as I can remember. Because I've always been an early-riser, I got hooked on Canada AM and, to this day, it remains a big part of my morning routine. I'm usually up at 6h30 and downstairs by 7, showered and dressed and in need of my first cup of coffee. Then I settle down on the sofa with my cappuccino for 20-30 minutes and watch Canada AM. It's a nice gentle start to the day, and I enjoy the live & lively vibe on screen and the mix of hard news and lighter lifestyle stories, musical guests and movie reviews.

This year is Canada AM's 38th year on the air! I figure I've been watching on and off (in between school, living abroad, becoming a Mom, etc.) for over 30 of those years! Time sure does fly when you're having fun!  Hosts have come and gone, the format has changed, along with the musical theme, but somehow I just kept watching. I specifically remember hosts Norm Perry, Pamela Wallin, Keith Morrison (not a big fan...sorry...), Dan Matheson, Valerie Pringle (one of my faves) and, of course, current favourite in Isabelle's world: Seamus O'Reagan. He is such a cutie, and I love his dry sense of humour and his funny facial expressions. He makes me lol!

So yes, the cast of Canada AM is part of the family at my house. That's why I'm so proud that they have chosen to highlight Made-in-Canada with an entire week dedicated to the subject, and have invited Buy Canadian First to be a part of it! The Made-in-Canada series runs from Monday,  August 8th to Friday, August 12th. I will be closing the week off on Friday with a segment showcasing great Canadian-made products. I feel like the cherry on the sunday! I am so thrilled and looking forward to sharing the set IRL (in real life) with these great people that I hang out with, each morning, through the magic of television!

To celebrate, we are holding a very special giveaway for all of you out there who share our love for products Made in Canada and who are dedicated to helping support your local economies through your everyday purchases. We will be giving away a selection of the products being showcased on Canada AM to one lucky winner. We are not telling what those products are, so you'll just have to watch to find out!  But we can tell you that the prize pack will be worth almost $300!

To enter, do as many of the 3 following things as possible, as they each count for one entry. The more the merrier (and luckier)!

• Leave us a comment below telling us who your favourite Canada AM host is (past or present);
• Follow us on Twitter and mention the following: @BuyCndianFirst loves @CTVCanadaAM #madeincanada;
• Like us on Facebook and write on our Wall who your favourite Canada AM host is (past or present).

The giveaway ends on Friday, August 12th at 5:00 PM ET. We will pick a name at random from all entries and the winner will be announced on Monday, August 15th.

Good luck!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. POLL RESULTS FOR FAVOURITE HOST ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Seamus O'Reagan (61%), Valerie Pringle (26%), Jeff Hutchison (9%) and Beverly Thompson (4%).

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Images courtesy of CTV's Canada AM