Buy Canadian First - Your destination for good shopping

Spring breezes have arrived in southern Manitoba, even though at this time of year they are peppered with lingering cold winter days, the promise of warm weather coming fills everyone anew with energy. We will soon migrate from our kitchen tables to our outdoor patios, picnic tables, or the ballpark to enjoy our bbq meals in the fresh air. Can you hear the crack of the ball against the bat as you munch on your hot dog beaming with pride as little Jean-Paul runs the bases? Yes, Summer is near and it's time to prepare.

I would like to introduce to you one of our newest members to Buy Canadian First, Napoleon Fireplaces and Grills. These luxurious and sleek in design barbecues are sure to lure the grilling enthusiasts outside for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Available from several portable table top designs to deluxe outdoor grilling centers like the Prestige V: PF600. I can't imagine a more perfect gift for Father's Day or a Spring gift idea for the man in your life. 

1. Preheat the barbecue to 375°F/190°C or medium high heat.
2. In a medium bowl, combine butter, green onion, cilantro, parsley and hot red pepper.
3. On a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper, form the mixture into a cylinder, about 1 inch (1.5 cm) in diameter. Wrap and close the ends. Place the butter cylinder in the freezer to solidify.
4. Shape ground buffalo into 6 large balls. Cut frozen butter into six ¼ inch (4mm) discs.
5. Freeze remaining butter to use another day.
6. Make a depression in the centre of each buffalo patty. Place a frozen butter disc into each meatball and seal inside. Shape the meat into patties about 1-inch (1.5 cm) thick, keeping the butter well surrounded by buffalo meat.
7. Oil the grill and season the buffalo burgers with salt and pepper.
8. Grill the burgers 6 minutes per side.

Canadians are concerned about the new protectionist stance in the buy American provision of the US stimulus bill. America's new bill already has Canadian steel mills on edge with several more industries curious of their fates as well. The bottom line is that this provision could potentially cause a ‘tit-for-tat' retaliation by other countries who could adopt the same policies causing global trade wars and impose a reintroduction of huge tariffs that NAFTA phased out. You may wonder why Canada hasn't implemented a similar provision; it is because the Canadian government adheres to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and World Trade Organization (WTO)?

On February 19th 2009 President Obama and Prime Minister Harper met in Ottawa for a news conference, you can read the transcript here. The leaders discussed many things that included the Buy American act and NAFTA, Obama assured to uphold his obligations to NAFTA and WTO and said this:

Now you didn't ask me about the "Buy American" provisions, but since it relates to our recovery package, let me just reiterate -- and I said this very clearly before the bill was passed and before I signed it -- that I think it was very important to make sure that any provisions that were there were consonant with our obligations under WTO and NAFTA.

He also stated:

I provided Prime Minister Harper an assurance that I want to grow trade and not contract it. And I don't think that there was anything in the recovery package that is adverse to that goal.

Prime Minister Harper also commented on the provisions:

On -- on the "Buy American" provisions -- and let's also be very clear, as well, that in both WTO and NAFTA, there are -- there are industries and there are ways in which and there are levels of government at which one can have domestic preferences and purchasing policies...So I think it's critical that the United States has been a leader for a long time in the goals of an open global economy. I think it's critical that that -- that that leadership continue. And I'm -- I'm quite confident that the United States will respect those obligations and continue to be a leader on the need for globalized trade.

Here at Buy Canadian First we always say "it's not about buying Canadian always, it's about buying Canadian first"; it's knowing and weighing your options. Shopping consciously in much the same way consumers are looking for eco-friendly products. 

I'm curious, if what Prime Minister Harper says is true, that these treaties have ‘domestic preferences and purchasing policies' then clearly some of the outsourcing practices conducted at the Government level doesn't make sense - Stephen Harper.

Why has 48 year old Grohmann Knives Limited lost its contract to supply the Canadian Military to a lesser quality non Canadian-made knife? Why has the Ontario Government's procurement office stopped buying their Ontario flags (of all things!!) manufactured by a Toronto company and instead purchased them from a foreign flag maker?

Shouldn't our Government be setting the example first (there's that word again) for all Canadians to be inspired by? Hopefully Harper's new economic action plan can look into the allowed ‘domestic preferences' and start practicing what it preaches. God knows our hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers could use the contracts!

Not that I want to turn this post into a rant line, but I'm asking you to leave a comment about how you feel about this and tell me if you know of other examples of such contradictions and lost contracts. Our Account Managers will then contact them and see how Buy Canadian First could help them.

Image source: pm.gc.ca

 

Don't forget to wear green!
Wear your Canadian-made green attire for all March 17th to this weekend's festivities. Your toes will be warm as you sip your Guinness in carmine daffodil navy wool socks by Les Bas de Julie. Keep your items safe as you run amok in the great Saint Paddy's Day pub crawl of 2009 with new Roots Lauren Tote in super lux leather by Roots Canada. Whether you are sitting on a stool or decorating shamrocks, being comfortable never looked so cute in the velour daisy piping pant by Gioka Clothing. All pictured below.
 

 

Some Celtic tunes!
A little music from Manitoba-born Loreena McKennitt, to Scottish and Irish parents, this singer is personally one of my favourites, especially her Elemental album. "Celtic history would become my creative springboard", Loreena recalls of her growing fascination with the subject. 

Happy Lá 'le Pádraig everyone!

Photo sources: Historica minute, Flickr Creative commons-wiki, BuyCanadianFirst.ca

I would like to announce the winners of the first ever Buy Canadian First giveaway! March 10th I wrote a post entitled Roll up the rim with the Rimroller and a contest, I asked you, our readers, to answer the question: "Why I buy Canadian", in order to be elligeable to win one of 4 Quickpay Tim cards. Take a moment to read the comments. We had such a great response!

Using a random number generator, we drew the following winners on Friday:

Emily Fryer

Cara Swenson

JayD

Julie Pederson

You will each receive a $10.00 Quickpay Tim card! YAY!!!! Congratulations.

Please email me at andreawillowcat@buycanadianfirst.ca to claim your prize and we will mail it to you pronto!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate. Come back often. There will be plenty more Giveaways coming soon!

Photo sources: Flickr Creative Commons-House of Sims, Tim Hortons

Have you seen the spring and summer fashion forecast for 2009?
This spring is sure to tantalize and tempt because this season is sexy, feminine and glamorous! If you wish to emulate the high fashion trends with the undeniable talent of Canadian fashion designers, then keep on reading.

Go sailing in blue, white and red with a nautical look inspired by Dolce and Gabana. Slip into these cotton high-waist jeans by Jennifer Glasgow along with her Hooded Tee (pictured below). Finally a pair of bejeweled sandals and sunglasses and you'll be set for sea. 

 

Let's go on a sultry safari with a wardrobe inspired by Ralph Lauren. Rugged and feminine start you look with the Thomas Dress by d a c e , adorn it with the LTM6 Airflo hat by Tilley Endurables and sling the Roots Club Pouch Lux over your shoulder (all pictured below). Finish the look with a simple heeled sandal.

 

Sunday afternoon window shopping never looked this good with this outfit inspired by Anna Sui. This stunning feminine look begins with Jayn Simpson's Flounce Silk Dress, Eco-Handbags' ReBag Petite Bag and the gorgeous Leafy Leather Cuff by Hollyhawk (all pictured below).  Let your hair down and adorn your feet with some jeweled sandals to complete the look.

 

The color palate for the spring runs the gambit from soothing nudes and neutrals to vivacious saffron, orange, yellow, chartreuse, coral, pink, fuchsia, turquoise, electric blue... certainly with these colors anything goes. Spring and summer will be hot, hot, hot. What must-have items are on your list? We want to know!

The Canadian Blood Service's tagline is ‘It's in you to give'. Do you give?
I have to admit I never have, not because I didn't want to but because I never made an effort to. In saying this I feel very thoughtless because every minute of every day a person in Canada needs blood.

The Canadian Blood Service is a not-for-profit charitable organization whose mission is to collect blood and blood products for the Canadian supply. They collect nearly 850,000 units of blood annually, about 382,500 liters,  that are processed into the components and products to be administered to thousands of patients each year. Working hand in hand with Héma-Québec to fulfill all of the nations blood needs.

So what are the components and products?

Blood or better referred to as whole blood is made of red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets. The Canadian Blood Service collects the whole blood as donations and then some is transfused and the rest will be processed for the plasma and red blood cells. Blood functions are to give oxygen to our tissues and remove carbon dioxide via the lungs.

White blood cells protect the body from infection but are removed from the whole blood through a process called leukoreduction as they are often the carriers of viruses and bacteria.

Plasma can be recovered from whole blood or donated using a process called plasmapheresis. Using an apheresis machine the blood is taken from the donor and filtered through the machine where only the plasma is extracted, the rest of the blood is then returned to the donor. Plasma is the protein-rich liquid of your blood that helps other blood components circulate through your body, supports your immune system, and promotes the control of excessive bleeding. Plasma is used to help some bleeding disorders, liver diseases, shock, in certain operations and in cancer and bone marrow therapy.

Platelets originate from megakaryocytes, a giant cell found in bone marrow, as the cell matures fragments fall off and are released into the blood stream; these are the platelets. Platelets are one of the components required for blood to clot, they fragile cell fragment that are a quarter of the size of a red blood cell and they have a shelf life of only five days. Platelets are donated using a process called plateletpheresis, it is similar to plasma donation where only the platelet is extracted and the rest of the blood goes back to the donor.

Stem Cells are cells that create blood and are sometimes referred as hematopoietic or progenitor cells, they are immature giving them the ability to become any of the cells in the blood stream; red blood cells, white blood cells, and other componets. Stem cells can be acquired in the blood flow,  or from  bone marrow, a jelly like substance that is in the center of your bones, where stem cells are produced.

All of these blood products can be donated if you haven't donated and are thinking about it sign up for their newsletter Ready Set Give. If you are unable to give blood for whatever reason you can give a monetary gift or simply become involved with the Canadian blood services.

To be eligible to donate for the first time you must be between the ages of 17-61, weigh at least 50 KG (110 lbs.), be in good health and it is recommended you had a good sleep are well fed and to avoid engaging in strenuous activity after the donation. Giving blood takes about 15 minutes with some time to recoup afterwards. There is a donor registration that includes a donor questionnaire; it is all to determine your eligibility.

After the donation is complete, you are brought to a food and beverage area to boost your blood sugar levels. How about some A. Lassonde Oasis juice

and Biscuits Leclerc raspberry and vanilla chewy bars ?

A friend of mine who has donated blood, told me that as you walk away, you have this overwhelming sense of happiness. You are so proud of what you just did because you know that every ounce of blood you gave, saves lives. She treats herself to some shopping after. If you do too, consider these short sleeve t-shirts from our new member OÖM Ethikwear.

They are a Montreal-based apparel manufacturer proud of its positive and committed messages.  

If you are still undecided about donating, not sure if you have the time or fell like you aren't brave enough maybe you should read  Thank You Donor. It is a website for donor recipients to thank donors for saving their children, parents, lovers, partners, best friends, sisters, brothers, fishing buddies and everyone or anyone who is important to someone. Remember (I should too), it is in us to give!

 

 Image sources: Canadian Blood Services, A. Lassonde, biscuits Leclerc, BuyCanadianFirst.ca

It's that time of year again! What time? Why it's R-r-r-r-roll up the r-r-r-r-rim to win time!

I couldn't think of a better time to get a caffeine fix in order to get spring cleaning done, well maybe not, but go get your ‘extra large double double' and an apple fritter and enjoy a little Canadiana. But before I begin...

For kicks, Buy Canadian First is hosting its own contest!!

We have 4 - $10 Tim Hortons gift cards to give away!  Leave us your email and comments  about why you buy Canadian and Friday morning (March 13th) we will pick 4 winners using a random numbers generator. Good Luck!

Now, for a bit of history and facts...

Tim Horton was born in Cochrane Ontario in 1930 and was signed to the Maple Leafs in 1949. He played 17 full seasons and 3 partial seasons with the Leafs, he also played briefly for the New York Rangers before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. His final years in hockey were with the Buffalo Sabres. His whole 22-year career with the NHL was played as a steadfast defenseman on the blue line. Famous for his strength, Gordie Howe called Horton "hockey's strongest man" but despite his legendary strength, Horton was not a supporter for violence on the ice.

Horton knew that his hockey career wouldn't last forever so he sought out a way to supplement his hockey income. In 1964, Horton decided to try out the coffee and doughnut business and opened a location in Hamilton, Ontario. In 1967 he became partners with retired police offer and franchisee of the Tim Hortons store # 1, Ron Joyce. The rest, as they say, is history.

Horton never saw the chain's iconic success. While returning to Buffalo from a game at Maple Leaf Gardens, Horton was killed in a tragic car accident on February 21, 1974. At the time there were only 40 Tim Hortons locations. The Buffalo Sabres retired his jersey as a tribute to his memory.

Today, Tim Hortons has 2,942 stores in Canada and employs well over 10,000 Canadians comprised of many talented individuals with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, styles and characteristics.

Tim Hortons offers a vast array of employment positions that include some or all of these ‘perks'; Flexible schedules, Convenient locations, competitive wages, comprehensive training, free uniforms, advancement opportunities, incentive programs and benefits.

The true wonders of this company are the community involvement and care of its staff. Every year Tim Hortons give out 20 $1,000 scholarships in Canada to their staff, their children and grandchildren, who also believe in giving back to their community through volunteer work.

It is great to know that the place where you work is concerned about your education and is willing to help out. I am very grateful to Tim Hortons for their support.
- 2005 Tim Hortons Scholarship Recipient

Certainly the goodwill and programs doesn't stop there, in fact this company with its rich Canadian roots does so much more. The Children's Foundation was founded in 1974 to the memory of Tim Horton who loved kids. The foundation sends kids to camp from economically disadvantaged homes. Local programs like free spring break skate and swim times, Tim Bits minor sports program, Earn a bike and more. Tim Hortons support local organizations and charities with donations or sponsorship as well as national sport sponsorships including curling, CFL, NHL, fishing and the Canadian Cycling Association. Sustainable coffee program supporting farmers in their communities and an environmental campaign with several different projects, Tim Hortons is a leader in community involvement.

The Toyota segway...

Now, going back to the Roll-up-the-rim-to-win contest...There are over 31,026,135 prizes to be won ranging from a beverage to to a brand new Toyota Venza. While the Venza is not Canadian made, Toyota does make the Corolla, Rav4 and Matrix right here in Canada! Here is their  current promotional campaign about it! All three models are top of their class for fuel efficiency combined with Toyota's quality and affordability.

Our own Melissa, Partner and Director of Marketing is a very proud owner of a 2009 AWD Toyota Matrix, which she bought because (one) she loved the new model and (two) because it was made in Canada (we don't just talk a good talk here at Buy Canadian First, we really do walk it too ;-)

 

Necessity is the mother of invention...

So we have our contest cup and we are using our teeth and hurting our fingers trying to roll up the rim to see if we won... But now, there is a better way. Buy Canadian First member, Paul Kind of Novel Solutions has invented a gadget known as the Rimroller that was featured in CBC's Dragon's Dene in October of 2008. The Rimroller is easy to use:  just push down and pull up. You can buy them at Lee Valley or any Zellers location for less than $3.

Iona, of Novel Solutions, wanted me to point out that the Rimroller allows you to see if you've won and if you did, you need to remove the whole message (French and English) otherwise you may be denied your prize! You have until May 24th, 2009 to claim your Roll-up prizes. Our contest ends this Friday, with the winners being announced Friday as well.

Image source: Tim Hortons, Toyota Canada, BuyCanadianFirst.ca

A clean home is a happy home.  Have you ever heard that one before?  I know I have and I have to say that I am personally much happier when my home is clean and smelling fresh. 

Since having children, I have become more conscious about the products I use when cleaning my home.  I would like to share with you my top eco-friendly cleaning tips.

1. Vinegar works wonders!  I love the cleaning power of vinegar.  Mix it with water in a 50/50 ratio.  I keep mine in a spray bottle and use it on windows and mirrors and even on my laminate flooring.  If the smell bothers you, try adding a few drops of essential oils such as lavender or sweet orange or even a bit of lemon juice.
2. Two words....baking soda!  Baking soda makes a great cleaner as well.  Mix it up as a paste and scrub tough stains.  Let it sit and scrub the surface and rinse with cool water.
3. Ditch those paper towels!  Using paper towels creates so much waste.  Why not use a cloth that is reusable for your cleaning?  I like to use microfibre cloths to clean but have also been known to use cut up old cotton t-shirts or even flannel sheets for cleaning cloths.  I just wash them, hang to dry and reuse next time around!
4. Save energy by hanging your clothes to dry.  I have a clothes line outdoors but it is a little impossible for me to use during the winter months.  I try to use it all spring, summer and fall though.  I hang blue jeans to dry all year round and never throw them in the clothes dryer. 
   
5. Clean the air with indoor plants.  Did you know that plants clean and purify the air in our homes?
6. This is a tip I recently found out about and am anxious to try it out soon!  Before you throw your newspapers into the recycle bin use them to clean windows or glass.  Spray to dampen with a bit of the vinegar/water solution and apply to the surface for a streak-free clean!
7. Here is another tip I just read about.  Fabric softeners can be full of chemicals and scents that can irritate.  To soften clothes without synthetic fabric softener use vinegar (woo hoo, vinegar again....I love it!), about ½ cup in your rinse cycle.  For elimination of static in the dryer, I found these reusable dryer sheets made in Canada by Static Eliminator.  These sheets can be found in many retail locations throughout Canada.
8. Look for eco-friendly cleaning and laundry products whenever possible.  They can usually be found in your local grocery stores.  Well.ca is a great source online for many "green" cleaning products. Check these ones out.

These were just a few ideas to help you to switch to more eco-friendly cleaning options.  I hope this will inspire you to take a few steps to keeping your home clean without harsh chemicals. Come back soon because there will be plenty more tips and cool stuff in April, when we dedicate all of April to Earth Month. If you have your own "green" cleaning tip, please let us know by leaving us a comment!

Happy cleaning!

Image source: Flickr Creative Commons: C.Wess Daniels', Well.ca

Tax season is upon us once again, for me this is a big groaner as the Canada Revenue Agency and I don't often see eye to eye, but you know what they say about death and taxes. I am, by far, the last person to give advice on how to do taxes but I can give you a handy-dandy checklist of the most common things you need for your tax returns.

A simple checklist for the average return: 

1. Did your marital status change throughout the year?
   
2. Do you own foreign property with a total value over $100,000?
   
3. Did you receive Employment Insurance during the Year?
   
4. Did you withdrawal any RRSP's or RRIF's during the year?
   
5. Did you receive pension income?
   
6. Do you have children under 6?
   
7. Did you have a family addition or adopt a child during the year?
   
8. Did you pay for a safety deposit box?
   
9. Did you move 40 km closer to work?
   
10. Did you have any rental income during the year?
    
11. Did you pay interest on a student loan?
    
12. Did you pay any post secondary tuition during the year?
    
13. Did you graduate from a post secondary institution in 2007-2008?
    
14. Did you contribute to your RRSP's during the year or the first 60 days of 2009?
    
15. Do you have any child care expenses?
    
16. Do you have any medical expenses?
    
17. Did you travel more than 40 km to receive medical treatment?
    
18. Do you make any donations?
    
19. Do you make any political contributions during the year?
    
20. Did you pay property taxes on your residence or pay rent during the year?
    
21. Do you have a copy of last year's notice of assessments?

When you are ready to visit your tax processor ensure you bring any correspondence from the CRA, as well as your last year's tax return.

Regardless if you are going to a tax processor, your accountant or doing your taxes yourself, be sure to investigate some of these credits implemented by the CRA, in fact this link is a great one stop resource to find the refundable and non-refundable credits available to you. These credits are geared to the taxpayer,  senior, student, parent, tradespersons and anyone with a disability or caring for someone with a disability. These include public transit amounts, GST/HST credits, medical expenses, children's fitness credit and so much more. You can even keep abreast on all the tax changes here as a part of Canada's Economic Plan-Budget 2009 .

A new savings program is the Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA), geared to Canadians to set money aside, tax free, throughout their lifetimes. Basically you are allowed $5,000.00 every year to save, but there are some little quirky rules, here's one explained:

Pippa deposited $3,000.00 into her TFSA account in January 2009, but needed $1,000.00 in May so she withdrew the money with no tax penalty. In September she decided to deposit more money to her TFSA but now she can only deposit $2,000.00 which would make a total of $5,000.00 of transactions in her TFSA. Should she deposit $3,000.00 to make up for the $1,000.00 withdrawal she would be taxed 1% per month on her TFSA.

The $1,000.00 that was withdrawn can be replaced, but only in the following year when she can then make a $6,000.00 savings deposit. As my dad says, if it's 'about as clear as mud', talk to your bank, financial advisor or consult the FAQ page at the CRA's site about the TFSA. It is not the best account if you are going to deposit and withdraw often but for long term savings it is top notch!

The Canada Revenue Agency has all packages, forms and schedules for every province regardless if you are filing personal or business they can be viewed in PDF or HTML. There are help links and contact information on the site too.

UFile for Windows allows you to complete up to 8 tax returns or 16 returns with the Ufile plus. Ufile is there with an email support group (email and phone with Ufile plus). If you want to file en français they have Impot-Expert.

Unfortunately the program is only available for Windows but UFile online supports Mac and Linux. Finally if you file returns every year as a part time seasonal job UFile-Pro may be the program for you, allowing you to file up 100 returns of any kind. Find the UFile that is right for you.

Remember you have until today to contribute to your RRSP and April 30th to complete your income tax return.

If you have any tax tips you would like to share be sure to leave them here in the comment section.

Happy Returns!

Image sources: UFile, Flick Creative Commons: ohio progressive, brittanyculver