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This time last year, I was packing my bags and gearing up to leave the country on Canada Day  to visit a very special someone. This Canada Day, the reason that I left the country last year, will be sitting at my side in Southern Manitoba! It will be a brilliant day! Environment Canada  is forecasting a sunny and sultry thirty degrees for Sunday afternoon here. The problem is not the weather but what we could be doing, as there are so many Canada Day activities within thirty minutes of where we sit.

 

Emerson Manitoba  is having a weekend celebration starting with a pancake breakfast Saturday morning and a large firework show Sunday night. There are some great events including a belly dancing performance , a chain saw wood sculptor and pony rides!! Altona has a Sunday celebration ending in fireworks that includes free swimming at the Aquatic centre . Altona will also host a find-the-flag contest, Mennonite foods, a chalk drawing contest and cake at  five pm! In fact, many Manitoba towns have a lot to offer for Canada Day Celebrations and I am partial to the small town festivals. The crowds are tolerable and it doesn't take ages to leave once it's done.

 

There are some must-have, Canadian-made items that one needs for Canada Day! We need to keep snacks and beverages cool on the side of the road while enjoying the parade. Buy Canadian First member, Cascades, has their ThermaFresh^TM recycled cardboard picnic cooler . Made of seventy per cent recycled materials, it is also recyclable, unlike other temporary cooling units. Of course, Canada Day is often an outdoor event and being outside from pancake breakfast to fireworks leaves you vulnerable to the elements. Sun care is important and Buy Canadian First Member, Heiko, has a great selection of sunscreens including this SPF 40 for children. Once dusk arrives, make sure that you are wearing loose fitting clothing to help prevent mosquito bites but if you find that they are getting really nasty, Buy Canadian First member Muskol  to keep the insects away.

 

Whatever I may be doing on Canada Day, I will be doing it with loved ones and friends, as well as thirty million other fabulous Canadians. Cheers Canada, Happy 145th Birthday!! Don't forget to enter our fabulous Canada Day giveaway!

What are you doing this Canada Day? 

 

Photo credits: Buy Canadian First Members Cascades, Heiko and Muskol 

Nice to be back on the set of Canada AM!

 

And this time, our segment is a little different… well actually, I should say it’s different in a very BIG way! You see, this time we set-up an entire room to talk about Made-in-Canada: the All-Canadian Bedroom! We wanted to demonstrate how you could create an entire room with furnishings made in Canada.

You can watch the segment here. 

The centerpiece of every bedroom, of course, is the mattress. And the one we are featuring today is an amazing one, made in Quebec by Essentia. It’s the world’s ONLY natural memory foam mattress. All other memory foam mattresse out there are petroleum-based, which means they gives off loads of VOCs that you end up breathing all night long. Not this one. Made from the sap of the rubber tree, to which essential oils, plant extracts and water is added, Essentia mattresses are the ultimate in comfort & health. And yes, there’s even one for your pooch!

On such a healthy base, we just had to seek out the best organic cotton sheets we could find. And we found them at Dream Designs in Vancouver. They come is 16 beautiful colours and I’m so glad we had the turquoise ones to show today. How gorgeous are those!? Made in Canada for over 30 years, these sheets will make you forget all others. An investment worth making, for a good (and healthy) night’s sleep!

And to complete the natural & healthy theme, what better than an alpaca “duvet” handmade by Salem Alpacas in Ontario. Of course, it’s not a “duvet” in the traditional sense of the word, as no feathery friends were sacrificed for the use of their feathers. This one is made with alpaca fiber, a light, natural, renewable fiber sheared from the alpaca (similar to a lama) each Spring. Warm in the winter and cool in the summer, it is also naturally dust-mite resistant and hypo-allergenic. What's not to love about that!

The stylish & contemporary bedside tables and bureau are part of the Fynn collection, made in Quebec by South Shore Furniture. A third-generation family business, South Shore specializes in bedroom sets (master, kids, nursery) and home entertainment units made of particle board and MDF and using recycled fibres. All their collections meet and even exceed the ultra-low North-American formaldehyde emission levels required by the California Air Resource Board (CARB). Their furniture can be purchased pre-assembled in stores, or ready-to-assemble and delivered to your door. It has it all: style, function and affordability! Check out their brand new website to see their entire collection and lot's of great design tips!

And what about that gorgeous Othello upholstered chair made in Winnipeg by Palliser! Confortable, stylish and timeless. A beautiful houndstooth pattern in taupe, with solid dark wood legs. I love the fact that you can mix and match designs and coverings to create exactly the look you want. That's something you can never do with imports! 

And finally, last but definitely not least, how cool is that adult onesie from Strong & Free!? The ultimate sleepwear or loungewear, it’s made with care in Nova Scotia. And yes, it has a “bum-flap”! This is a Canadian premiere and marks the national launch of this awesome must-have. You can place an order here to reserve yours today!

So that’s the All-Canadian Bedroom! Pretty impressive, eh? Again, thanks so much to the entire Canada AM team and especially to Jenny who helped us set-up behind the scenes. You rock! See you again soon!

Happy Canada Day everyone!

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members above.

I really enjoyed June's book, the thriller "The Accident".  It keeps you hopping through the whole book and, just when you think you have it figured out, you don't! 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!



Linwood Barclay was born in the US, moving to Canada when he was four.  His father was a commercial artist, eventually retiring to the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario with his family.  At age twenty two, Linwood got his first job with the Peterborough Examiner, later joining the Toronto Star in 1981. After co-authoring four graphic novel thrillers, he began work on standard novels and quickly became a best-selling author across the globe. Visit Linwood's website for some great responses on his writing process and some info for future writers as well. It's not only me that throughly enjoyed "The Accident", look what Stephen King had to say: "With this novel, Barclay vaults to the top of the suspense pantheon." - how cool is that?



Time to get ready for our next book. We are trying the sci-fi title,  "Triggers", by Canadian author, Robert J. Swayer.  You may remember Sawyer's novel, "FlashForward", which that great Canadian-made TV show was based on.

"On the eve of a secret military operation, an assassin's bullet strikes U.S. President Seth Jerrison. He is rushed to hospital, where surgeons struggle to save his life. At the same hospital, Canadian researcher Dr. Ranjip Singh, is experimenting with a device that can erase traumatic memories. Then a terrorist bomb detonates. In the operating room, the president suffers cardiac arrest. He has a near-death experience-but the memories that flash through Jerrison's mind are not his memories."


Sounds interesting! For now, congratulations to "The Accident" winner, Lori Clapson! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "The Accident". Let us know what you think! I would love to discuss it with you and find out how you think the people in your life would react. 

To win a copy of our next book, "Triggers", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, July 23, 2012. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much to everyone for participating! Don't forget to Like us at the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook and share us with your friends!

:: Images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo.

I'm a proud Canadian. (I'm also a French-speaking, "pure wool", 12th generation Quebecer, which always makes for an interesting mix!).

I would like you to meet another proud Canadian: Denise Dow from Saint-John, NB. Denise is the creator and the force behind Strong & Free, an emblem she created for Canadians to show their pride. The emblem was first imagined in Denise's backyard, inspired by leaves fallen from her beautiful maple tree and by our national anthem. It's a beautiful symbol for Canada, and one that deserves to be better known.

In business for almost five years now, Denise has succeeded in getting some of her Canadian-made Stanfield's licensed apparel into Sears stores across the country this year for Canada Day. Quite an accomplishment and something to be very proud of! Well done, Denise!

And best of all, they are currently on SALE at your local Sears store for $14.99 a piece, but only while supplies last! So get yours today! Or, you could actually win a set....keep reading...!

Coming this Fall, Denise is introducing THE quintessential Canadian loungewear: the Onesie! Made in Nova Scotia by iconic Stanfield's, it's sure to be a hit! Orders are rushing in, and the product has not even been launched officially yet (value: $67)! But you could win one....read on...!

In honour of Canada Day, we have teamed up with Denise to bring you an exclusive and totally awesome Strong & Free giveaway! Up for grabs, (in addition to the items above):

Decorative house plaque made in Quebec. Crafted in 3D aluminum and hand-painted with an antique finish. A beautiful addition to your home, cottage or business. (value: $99)

 

Canadian Pride replica hockey jersey made in Quebec. - 100% Polyester AK Knit jersey with sublimated maple leaf design. Available in red or white. (value: $109)

 

Pewter items made in Nova Scotia by Aitkens Pewter. Belt buckle, keychain, ornament and lapel pin (value: $ 46)

 

Strong & Free patch, 100% made in Canada! $4.00 from each patch sold is donated to the V.E.T.S., the reason why we are Strong & Free today! Lest we forget. (value: $10)

Color Me Canadian! coloring book. Learn all about Canada in English and French with this fun learning book that covers this great country from sea to sea to sea! (value: $6.50)

Over $350 worth of awesome patriotic goodies made in Canada! How great is that, eh?

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

• Leave us a comment below telling us what you love most about Canada (Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away!); 
• Follow us on Twitter  and tweet the following: @BuyCndianFirst + @StrongAndFreeEm love #madeincanada. I entered their #CanadaDay #giveaway here:  http://bit.ly/Men0Ek

• Like us on Facebook.

The giveaway ends on Saturday, June 30th at 5:00 PM ET. We will pick one name at random from all entries and the winner will be announced on Canada Day, Sunday July 1st.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER: EVA, FROM EDMONTON, AB.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED. YOUR COMMENTS WERE TRULY INSPIRATIONAL!

Good luck!

Images courtesy of Strong & Free.

Welcome to the June edition of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we learn more about this week's author, Linwood Barclay! Linwood Barclay was born in the USA and moved, with his parents, to a Toronto suburb at the age of four. His father was a commercial artist whose illustrations of automobiles appeared in Life magazine, Look and The Saturday Evening Post.  A former Toronto Star columnist, Barclay developed four comic thrillers and then moved on to novels with his bestseller "No Time for Goodbye".  Since then, he has written many best-selling "domestic suspense thrillers" and this month we are looking at his most recent, "The Accident".

"The Accident" is about construction business owner, Glen Barber, whose business, like many others, is not doing so well.  We find out that his wife was trying to help the family income by taking a business course at night in order to get a better job.  This leads to death and mysteries and kept me flipping pages late into the night to find out who was behind all of this.

 

I love mysteries and thrillers, often completing them over the course of a weekend or even one day!  You get sucked into the story and just can't stop reading until you know the truth behind the mystery and "The Accident" is no different.  I loved that this book was set in modern day, with cell phones, emails and videos playing a part in the story.  This is a perfect Summer read on the dock, at the beach or just outside in the backyard.  While thrillers are often quick reads, Linwood Barclay gives his characters lots of time to develop and you start to care about everyone, which makes it even worse wondering who the bad guy really is. I highly recommend picking up this one this month! Be prepared for a late night!

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Linwood Barclay's book, "The Accident" and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we learn more about Linwood Barclay, next week. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Be sure to share the contest with your friends and family as well. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!

What is your favourite genre for Summer reading?

 

Image courtesy of Chapters-Indigo.

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School is nearly done and Summer vacation is around the corner for Manitoba residents. I have to admit that I have it pretty easy, as my children attend the daycare centre year round, where I am employed, and I am also in charge of the Summer programming. So, we should have a lovely Summer with lots of activities, art and science projects, too. Some single parents are left shuffling their kids from day camps to time spent with relatives. While the camps and weeks at Nana's house are awesome, the costs and juggling of time can feel overwhelming. In the end, it is still Summer ... yes, we may have the same grind as we do the rest of the year, but the weather is beautiful, your kids have free time and life is fleeting. Here are some tips to make some great Summer memories.

 

Make a Summer calendar. I know you have to work a nine to five, pick up the kids, make dinner and prepare for the next day but make a Summer calendar anyway. Add a couple of extra outings throughout the week; like a family evening walk, a trip to the library, time at the park,  a night at the movies (either at a cinema, projected on the side of the house, or snuggled in your living room). Check out your community newspapers for upcoming events that may be free of charge or of little cost. You are more likely to keep and prepare for these events if you mark them down.

 

Keep your meals simple. Summer-time seems to be a time where light meals seem to be more appealing than heavy ones and frankly, who wants to spend all that time in a hot kitchen? Take a walk to your local market for some fresh veggies and baked bread then home again to get Buy Canadian First member True North Salmon  products on the barbeque. Here are some great twenty minute meal ideas that are on the lighter side from Canadian Living Magazine online.

 

Create a do-it-by-yourself list. Sometimes we need a little time to take care of things around the house. This type of list gives children the choice of available activities they can do by themselves, reducing conflict and boredom. Some possible activities are painting and drawing, watching a movie, reading a book, drawing on the sidewalk or blowing bubbles on the front lawn.

I know it's not easy juggling time and there never seems to be enough of it, ever. This Summer, after a whole term of school and homework, I know there is the time after a long day at work. If that means I have to catch up on a little house work later, so be it!  

 

As a single parent, what are some of your tips and tricks for Summer break?

 

Image credits: True North Salmon, Andrea Willowcat 

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! I also hope that everyone remembers what's coming up this weekend - Father's Day!  It's a day to celebrate all the hard work Dad does, the love he gives and of course, the endless plastic block castles he builds. ;-)  You know that Dad probably doesn't need another tie or pair of socks, so instead of the same old gift, why not do something as a family instead, with a couple of extra treats for Dad on the side?  

Here are some fun, Canadian-made ways to celebrate Dad this coming weekend. Most dads that I know love to golf, so why not take Dad for a round this weekend?  A round of golf doesn't have to break the bank and you can use sites like GolfCanada.com to find discounted tee times.

 

Golf not Dad's thing?  What about a quiet afternoon fishing? Surprise Dad with new lures like these from Buy Canadian First member, Lucky Strike.  If you have little ones in the family, it would make a great memory for Dad to get the whole gang out there on the lake, enjoying one of his favourite pastimes.



If a dad in your life is anything like my Grampa, he would be proud to own these Extreme-Duty Anvil Loppers for outside work from Buy Canadian First member, Lee Valley.  To make it more fun, make them part of this weekend's activities and help Dad in the yard and garden for some family time on Father's Day.



Finish up the day with a suprise BBQ with all the family and treat Dad to some new BBQ tools, a funny apron or a selection of new sauces like Yikes, Maple Barbeque Sauce with a Kick! from Buy Canadian First member Everything Maple.

Don't forget to take lots of pictures for Dad's desk at work! What are your plans for celebrating Dad this weekend?


Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Lucky Strike, Lee Valley and Everything Maple.

Father’s Day is coming up, and there is no better time to reflect on the role of a father in his children’s life. Fatherhood has changed dramatically in the past few decades, with Dads spending much more time with their kids. I see it all around me and find it very inspiring.

My son's father and I have been divorced for 9 years now. Throughout those years, we have always shared custody of our child and I have seen him rise to the challenge of caring for him in amazing ways. They have developed a close relationship which is heartwarming and wonderful to witness. My son will be a better man because of it, and I am thankful for that.

To help celebrate Dads across this great country of ours, we have put together an awesome gift-pack filled with Canadian-made products that Dad is sure to love. Here’s what’s up for grabs:

1) For the fashionable Dad: 2 pairs of designer underwear made in Montreal by Dylan Ribkoff. These creations are known for the quality and comfort of their fabric, and the originality of their design. (approx. value: $60)

2) For the handy Dad: a collection of multi-bits screwdrivers made in B.C. by Picquic. The original multi-bit screwdrivers invented in 1988 and still “Built right….in Canada” (value: $ 66)

3) For the wine-loving Dad: Ravi wine refresher made in Quebec by Ravi Solutions. Store in your freezer and pop on any wine bottle to chill the wine as it comes out of the bottle. An ingenious invention! (value: $40)

4) For the high-tech Dad: a laptop stand made in B.C. by Chillbeds. This is a limited-edition 15” wide deep blue model. It will keep Dad and his laptop cool! (value: $50)

5) For the meat-loving Dad: a yummy collection of beef jerky made in Alberta by McSweeney’s. A selection of flavours, all made with top quality ingredients. (value: $50) (selection may differ from image)

6) For the sporty Dad: a real treat from Sam Bat in Ottawa: one of their famous maple bats, a mini-bat and a T-Shirt. Yes, they are the makers of the famous bat that enabled Barry Bonds to break the home-run world record (value: $175) (selection will differ from image)

7) For the brainy Dad: a set of beautiful stainless-steel brain teasers courtesy of Ottawa-based Lee Valley Tools. (approx. value: $50)

Almost $ 500 worth of great products made in Canada. Now that’s a gift fit for a King!

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 what you think is the best quality in a father (Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away!);

• Follow us on Twitter and tweet the following:  @BuyCndianFirst loves Dads #madeincanada. I entered their #FathersDay #giveaway here: http://bit.ly/MjLMTS

• Like us on Facebook.

The giveaway ends on Saturday, June 16th at 5:00 PM ET. We will pick one name at random from all entries and the winner will be announced on Father's Day, Sunday June 17th.

Good luck!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER: INGRID, FROM TORONTO, ON.

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members, as listed.

Well, my fellow Canadian junkers, are you ready for something on a wall that is a little "off the wall"? Pardon the pun but you’ll soon see what I mean.

Collectors ‘accumulate’ lots of stuff over a short period of time and when you run out of horizontal real estate, you have to go up. My stash was taking over my storage area when I came up with a wild brainstorm. Hang it up!

 But I took it a step further and hung it all up in my front entry. Adding a few hooks here and there, I ended up with a junk art coat hook wall.

  

Everything was placed tight against each other like a puzzle, then screwed into the wall. I was prepared to place anchors where necessary, but everything ended being perfectly sound. 

I haven’t decided if it’s storage until something better comes along or it’s staying. I rather love it just the way it is! Guess I’d better go shopping for more junk then, huh? :)

 

Do you have anything unique hanging up your coats by the front door?

Photos and design courtesy of Funky Junk Interiors. Complete tutorial and reveal can be found on the blog HERE.