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We know that November 11th is Remembrance day, a day to reflect on our soldiers' sacrifices and the peace that it has given us, but perhaps we do not all know the story of the origins of this important day. World War I came to an end at 11 o'clock on November 11th 1918 when a temporary peace document was signed. This document was called an armistice which is derived from a latin word meaning "arms or weapons stand still". A larger and permanent peace treaty was signed at a later date but November 11th was known as Armistice Day for a little over a decade. Special events have been held on this day ever since. The very first one in 1918 and in fact in much the same way as today: With church services, wreaths laid at memorials of those who gave their lives and a moment of silence at 11am.

The iconic symbol of Remembrance Day, the poppy, also comes from World War I. Thousands of soldiers were buried in graveyards in Europe including Belgium's Flanders Field which is now covered by wild poppies. In 1931 the Canadian Parliament changed the name to Remembrance Day and after World War II it became a memorial day for those who died and served in both wars.

 

Our Armed Forces are made up of courageous ordinary people: Our husbands, fathers, mothers, wives, sons and daughters, all of whom protect our freedom and strive to make the world a better and safer place to live. Let us show our service men and women that we recognize their commitment and valour by simply taking the time.

Here are some suggestions:

• Wear a poppy above your heart
• Attend a Remembrance Day event
• Visit a friend or relative who has served in the armed forces
• Listen to veterans talk about their experiences either in person or on the Veterans Affairs YouTube page
• Become a Fan and write your comments on the Wall of their Facebook Page
• Change your profile pictures and avatars to a poppy
• Blog about it
• Send a postcard to our troops who are still on active duty overseas
• Engage your kids with crafts and discussion in the kid zone of the Veterans Affairs website and

Veteran's Affairs Canada (VAC) also has a unique challenge they are asking "How will you remember?" and presenting a challenge. Using any and or all of the photos and videos available on site they want you to mash it up and create a photo montage, video, digital scrapbook and whatever else you can create. Post it online via Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or any other website. Tag it with words (like the one in the word poppy) and then link it back to VAC: "Share It. Tag It. Link It".

How ever you choose to remember and observe this day, share it with a friend, family member or colleague and inspire them to take the challenge too. In fact, post your links here or tell us how you plant to commemorate this day.

 

Veteran's week runs from November 5th through to the 11th but it needn't stop there. Should you choose to support our troops there are lots of ideas here.

Lest we Forget.

Image sources: Vetrans Affairs Canada and willowcatstudio

I love a good mystery and really enjoyed this month's book, "a Trick of the Light"! I also loved the atmosphere this book created. I sure would love to visit the village of Three Pines! 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!

The author, Louise Penny, lives outside a small village South of Montreal. She first came to Quebec from Winnipeg to host a television morning show in Quebec City. She says the advantage of a morning show is that it has the largest audience; the disadvantage is having to rise at four a.m. (I would agree!). I love Penny's description of her first few weeks in Quebec City: "...Quebec City offered other advantages that far outweighed the ungodly hour. It's staggeringly beautiful and almost totally French and I wanted to learn. Within weeks I'd called Quebecers 'good pumpkins', ordered flaming mice in a restaurant, for dessert naturally, and asked a taxi driver to 'take me to the war, please.' He turned around and asked 'Which war exactly, Madame?' Fortunately elegant and venerable Quebec City has a very tolerant and gentle nature and simply smiled at me."  After marrying Michael Whitehead, head of hematology at Montreal Children's Hospital, she left her job with the CBC and started to write.

Penny's first novel was called "Still Life" and she began her career with an award winner. The book was winner of the New Blood Dagger award in the United Kingdom, the Arthur Ellis Award in Canada for Best First Crime Novel, the Dilys Award, the 2007 Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best First Novel in the United States.

 

From there she has gone on to write seven more novels, all award winners and all fantastic reads. Her latest book, "A Beautiful Mystery", is already on all the best seller lists and sounds fantastic.

"No outsiders are ever admitted to the monastery of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups, hidden deep in the wilderness of Quebec, where two dozen cloistered monks live in peace and prayer. They grow vegetables, they tend chickens, they make chocolate. And they sing. Ironically, for a community that has taken a vow of silence, the monks have become world-famous for their glorious voices, raised in ancient chants whose effect on both singer and listener is so profound it is known as “the beautiful mystery.”

But when the renowned choir director is murdered, the lock on the monastery’s massive wooden door is drawn back to admit Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir of the Sûreté du Québec. There they discover disquiet beneath the silence, discord in the apparent harmony. One of the brothers, in this life of prayer and contemplation, has been contemplating murder. As the peace of the monastery crumbles, Gamache is forced to confront some of his own demons, as well as those roaming the remote corridors. Before finding the killer, before restoring peace, the Chief must first consider the divine, the human, and the cracks in between."

I am so happy to find yet another Canadian author I can add to my library and enjoy!

Congratulations to this months winner, Adina H! I can't wait to chat with you about Louse Penny's novel, "A Trick of the Light"! Enjoy!

Who are you reading?

Images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo.

 

I really enjoyed this month's book, "Life of Pi"!  It was a big change from my usual kind of books; I don't often read novels with spiritual tones. 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!

You'll remember I mentioned last week that Yann was born in Spain to French Canadian parents. His father was posted as a diplomat for the Canadian government at the time.   Yann obtained a degree in Philosophy from Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, then worked as a tree planter, dishwasher and security guard before taking up writing full-time at the age of twenty seven.

His first book, "The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios", was published in 1993 and is a collection of short stories. The topics range from such themes as illness, storytelling and the history of the twentieth century, music, war and the anguish of youth, to how we die, grief, loss and the reasons we are attached to material objects.

This was followed by his first novel, "Self", published in 1996, which is the story of a traveling writer who wakes up one morning to discover that he has become a woman.  In 2002, when Yann's second novel, "Life of Pi" won the Man Booker Prize, he became world famous.  Don't forget, the film adaptation of "Life of Pi" will premiere at the Festival this September 28.

Time to get ready for our next book, "A Trick of the Light". I've heard great things about Canadian author Louise Penny and her novels focusing on the work of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec.



"Hearts are broken,” Lillian Dyson carefully underlined in a book. “Sweet relationships are dead.” But now Lillian herself is dead. Found among the bleeding hearts and lilacs of Clara Morrow's garden in Three Pines, shattering the celebrations of Clara's solo show at the famed Musée in Montreal. Chief Inspector Gamache, the head of homicide at the Sûreté du Québec, is called to the tiny Quebec village and there he finds the art world gathered, and with it a world of shading and nuance, a world of shadow and light.  Where nothing is as it seems.  Behind every smile there lurks a sneer. Inside every sweet relationship there hides a broken heart.  And even when facts are slowly exposed, it is no longer clear to Gamache and his team if what they've found is the truth, or simply a trick of the light.

I love a good mystery! For now, congratulations to "Life of Pi" winner, Sophia Chum! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "Life of Pi". 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, "A Trick of the Light", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, September 17, 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 and Wikipedia.

I absolutely loved reading this month's book, "Triggers"!  Robert J. Sawyer introduces his readers to some amazing science, always keeps us on our toes and we really get to know all the characters. 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!
Born in April of 1960, Canadian Robert J. Sawyer has twenty-one published novels and has won over forty awards, including the Nebula Award and the Aurora Award.  Most of his works contain, not only real life science like the memory research we read about in "Triggers", but also real life locations. Remember CERN  (the European Organization for Nuclear Research located near Geneva, Switzerland) from Flashforward?  I so appreciate that Sawyer often brings Canada into the mix in most of his novels.  If you've read Sawyer's novel "Calculating God" you'll know it focuses on the Royal Ontario Museum, in Toronto.
I mentioned that Sawyer's famous book, "Flashforward", (which is also a great read!) was turned into a TV show.  Sawyer worked with the writers on the story line and even wrote one of the episodes.  It has been fun to step into another one of Sawyer's books with "Triggers" and I look forward to picking up his next novel.

Time to get ready for our next book. I thought that we would take another big genre turn and try "Life of Pi", by Canadian author Yann Martel.  Did you know that this famous novel was actually rejected by at least five London publishing houses before being picked up by Knopf Canada?  This Man Booker Prize winning novel has been talked about since it was first published in 2001.

The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family, along with their zoo animals, emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship. The ship sinks. Pi finds himself in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra and "Richard Parker", a four hundred and fifty pound Bengal tiger. Soon, the tiger has dispatched all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for two hundred and twenty seven days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a story much less fantastical, much more conventional ... but is it more true?

I'm really looking forward to reading this famous story! For now, congratulations to the winner of "Triggers", Catherine Kelly! 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, "Life of Pi", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, August 20, 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!

Have you read "Life of Pi" yet or seen the movie?

:: Images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo and sfwriter.com.

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 have had some great discussions inspired by this month's book "Forgotten".  It's interesting to talk about how we think our friends, family, co-workers, etc., would react if we went missing for six months and presumed dead. 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!




Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. She is a graduate of McGill University and McGill Law School and now practices law in Montreal. Her first two novels, "Spin" and "Arranged", are international bestsellers. I am so happy to have had a chance to interview Catherine and to be able share it with you!

Good Shopper Blog: I was so intrigued by this story line from just reading the back of the cover! !hat an awesome premise!  How did you first come up with the idea?
Catherine McKenzie: Thanks! I actually heard a story about someone who had spent some time in Africa, gotten sick and when they returned home, there was someone else living in their apartment. I don’t know anything else about them or what happened, but I thought it was an intriguing premise to explore some themes that had been banging around in my head.

GSB: Did you confer with family and friends on how they would react if this situation happened?
CM: This may sound funny, but: no. I like to let my own imagination govern in situations like that.

GSB: What drew you, as the writer, to Africa as the place that Emma's mother needed her to go?
CM: It seemed like the sort of place that someone might obsess about going to but never be able to. Also, I needed a place where it might be plausible that they could be cut off from the world for six months.

GSB: I love Emma's friend, Stephanie! I think that we need a novel full of her fun ideas, like bookstore match-making!  Is Stephanie based on someone in your life?  I could use a friend like her!
CM: I love her too! But no, she’s not based on anyone I know (though I do have great friends). I really try hard not to base characters in my books on people I know; therein lies trouble! But the bookstore match-making service is a nod to my previous book, "Arranged", for those who have read it.


GSB: As a lawyer, what drew you to writing novels as well? You must never sleep!
CM: I do sleep, I swear! I’ve always written and about six years ago I got an idea for a novel that I just couldn’t shake. I decided to try to see if I could write a book and I’ve kept on going from there.


GSB: What advice can you give to fellow Canadians as a writer and a career woman?
CM: If you want to write, do it! And by that I mean, find the time to do the things you love. If you find a little time everyday you might end up with a book at the end. I also think it’s important to keep a creative side (if you have one) to balance the serious work stuff (if your work is serious work stuff).


GSB: I thank Catherine so much again for the opportunity to interview her. She shared great information and it was so fun to learn how an author researches their stories and where their ideas comes from!

Time to get ready for our next book. We are trying a thriller this time,  "The Accident", by Canadian author, Linwood Barclay.


"In this mesmerizing thriller by acclaimed author Linwood Barclay, a typical community descends into darkness, as an ordinary man is swept into one of the most violent mysteries of modern life."


Sounds exciting! For now, congratulations to "Forgotten" winner, Zara Garcia-Alvarez! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "Forgotten". 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. 

Thanks again to HarperCollins Canada for providing us with this great read and the giveaway copy. Follow HarperCollins Canada on twitter, on Facebook, and check out their website, The Savvy Reader, for more bookish fun.

To win a copy of our next book, "The Accident", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, June 18, 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! 

:: Images courtesy of HarperCollins Canada and Chapters-Indigo.

I am so proud of my new knowledge about Canada, thanks to this month's book, "The Imposter Bride". Canadian author, Nancy Richler, introduced a part of Canada and Canadian history to me that I did not even know existed. 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!

Nancy Richler was born in Montreal, moved around for school, headed to Colorado and then,  in the mid-1980s, back to Canada. She says that she did not begin writing fiction until moving to Vancouver in 1988. She is now back in Montreal, and though "The Imposter Bride" actually takes place in Montreal, she was still living in Vancouver when she wrote it. She mentions on her website that writing "The Imposter Bride" helped to distill her memories and impressions of the Montreal of her childhood. I am so happy to have had a chance to interview Nancy and share it with you!

Good Shopper Blog: I admit, when I think of Montreal, I do not think about the large Jewish community that gathered there, post-Second World War. Do you find that you often surprise people with this history?
Nancy Richler: I'm glad to hear you learned something new about Montreal and its Jewish community from reading my book. That's one of the great pleasures of fiction for me. It can open a window onto a world I didn't know about before. Until the late seventies, Montreal was the pre-eminent Jewish community in Canada. It was already a large and lively community before the Second World war, and then the large influx of Holocaust survivors in the late forties and early fifties added another layer of cultural richness as well as a psychological complexity that I tried to capture in this book.

GSB: The layers and layers of this book - between Ruth's journey through growing up without a mother, to Lily's travels and Ida Pearl's story ... how did you weave it all together? It read beautifully.
NR: It took many years for all the layers to weave together. I started writing this book in 2004, but there were so many strands and levels to it that I had to be patient and allow it all to percolate. Finally, after about 6 years and many, many revisions, I was able to integrate the various layers and themes into a cohesive story.

GSB: I've read that The Imposter Bride includes settings from your own childhood growing up in Montreal. In fact, your own paternal grandmother immigrated to Canada for the purpose of marriage and, like Lily, was rejected on arrival. Are any of the actual characters in The Imposter Bride based on your family members or people that they had described?
NR: My characters all have aspects of people I've known but there's no one character that represents anyone real. (Although, family members and friends are all calling me now to tell me that they're sure I modeled a particular character on them!).

GSB: I found so many themes running through the pages, from loss and abandonment, to racism, poverty and Jewish history, to name just a few! When first planning the book, what was the main theme you wanted to share with the reader?
NR: I always start my writing with a character and situation that interest me. The themes then arise from the lives and situations I'm depicting rather than the other way around. In this case, the themes that you mentioned arose from the particular events that my characters experienced, from the historical and cultural settings in which they were living their lives.

GSB: What advice can you give hopeful Canadian authors, especially those that may have some very interesting family history to tell?
NR: My advice is to sit down and start writing, even if you only have an hour a day to devote to that writing. There's always a hunger for interesting stories, so if you can put in the time and work to tell your stories well, you'll eventually find a readership for your work.

I thank Nancy so much again for the opportunity to interview her. It was such a great experience!

Time to get ready for our next book from HarperCollins Canada,  "Forgotten", by Canadian author, Catherine McKenzie.

"Emma Tupper is a dedicated lawyer with a bright future. But when she takes a month-long leave of absence to go on an African vacation, she ends up facing unexpected consequences".

What a fantastic premise! For now, congratulations to "The Imposter Bride" winner, Kim Barrett! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "The Imposter Bride". Let us know what you think! I would love to discuss it with you!

To win a copy of our next book, "Forgotten", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, May 21, 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 ! 

:: Books and images courtesy of HarperCollins Canada.

Karyn Climans: My name is Karyn Climans and I am the owner/creator of Tail Wags Helmet Covers . My husband Jeff and I have 2 wonderful sons: Josh is 21 years old and Daniel is 19. We have 2 dogs: a German Sheppard named Lucaya and a Golden Retriever puppy (11 months old) named Harley. My favourite colours are green (it represents nature) and tangerine orange (it’s a sunny colour).

GSB: What compelled you to start this business? How long have you been at it and where is it located? How many employees do you have?

KC: Following a serious ski accident in which my ski helmet saved my life, I wanted to create a product that would make it FUN for kids and adults to wear their safety helmets. I started my business in the basement of my Toronto home just over 6 years ago. Today, Tail Wags employs several part time seamstresses, a bookkeeper, graphic artist and photographer. In addition, as required, I hire high school students on an hourly basis to help tag and package the helmet covers.

GSB: How has the response been?

KC: If you told me 6 years ago that Tail Wags would grow into a company selling products internationally, I would never have believed you! The remarkable growth of my company is something of which I am very proud.

GSB: Why is being identified as a Canadian company important to you?

KC: Being involved in the design and creation of my helmet covers, every step of the way, is important to me. My brand is built on quality, so monitoring the production process closely is a priority. Finally, made in Canada products lead to more jobs for Canadians and, in this economy, that’s essential.

GSB: What advice would you give to a budding Canadian entrepreneur?

KC: Being an entrepreneur is a 24/7 job but the rewards are worth it. Although the first 3 to 5 years are the toughest, if you’ve got a good idea and you are passionate about what you’re doing, stick to it! Your hard work will pay off.

GSB: Is there something you can tell us about that we might be surprised to know about you?

KC: I never dreamed of being an entrepreneur because I always assumed I’d work for someone else as a teacher or lawyer, however, now, I can’t imagine working for anyone else. I love the freedom and challenge of running my own business!

 

Thanks for sharing some of your fascinating entrepreneurial experience, Karyn! Here's how to enter to win the Tail Wags Helmet Cover of your choice:

• "Like" the Tail Wags facebook page 
• Tell Buy Canadian First on our Facebook page  what design you like the best. (Check them all out at www.tail-wags.com!).

I have been chatting with so many people about this month's book, "Losing Faith". Canadian author, Denise Jaden, took on a couple of tough subjects and turned them into a terrific novel. 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!


Denise was born and raised in Canada, where she lived just outside of Vancouver, B.C. with her husband and son. She has previously written short stories; "Losing Faith"  is her first novel and we are looking forward to her upcoming Young Adult, contemporary novel, "Never Enough", out July 10th. I was very happy to have the opportunity to interview Denise about her book, "Losing Faith".



GSB: This book touched on some very difficult topics including death and religion - were you nervous about tackling those topics?
DJ: I was nervous about how the religious aspects would be received, but I’ve been pleased with the reaction from both religious and non-religious readers. So far no one has mentioned finding it preachy or heavy handed, which I’m thrilled about. As for the death, I really enjoyed learning about grief and all of its varied expressions during the writing. Even though it was a difficult subject, I was glad I tackled it!

GSB: This was your first novel and it was published in 2010. How long had you been writing before your novel was published? Is it something you always knew that you would do?
DJ: I had been writing for about seven years prior to publishing. Unlike many authors I know, I did not always want to be a writer. In fact, during my high school years, I did everything in my power to avoid reading and writing. Thankfully that didn’t last! You’d rarely see me without a book now.

GSB: I love that Brie was hearing Faith singing in her head. Do you have a favourite song that would cause your family to think of you when they heard it?
DJ: I had a specific tune in my head when I was writing about Brie hearing Faith’s humming, but to be honest, I don’t know if it was a real song or just a combination of notes I made up myself. It was always the same note progression.

GSB: I appreciated that we got all the facts and information at the end of the story,. Did you always know the ending and everything that happened that night with Faith?
DJ: No, actually, I spent much of the writing trying to figure out for myself what some of Faith’s secrets were. I had a vague idea about some of them, but the full ending didn’t unfold in my head until I came to the place of writing it. (It’s difficult to answer this one fully without giving away spoilers!)

GSB: Do you have some advice for our Canadian readers who may dream of publishing their own novel some day?
DJ: Yes, something I didn’t do soon enough: read a lot and write a lot. There is no better teacher than practice and learning what you enjoy in published words and why you enjoy it. Also, I highly recommend finding a group of writers you can regularly bounce things off of. As solitary as writing can be, I honestly wouldn’t have publishable work without the help of my critique partners.

I thank Denise so much again for the opportunity to interview her! I cannot wait until July to read "Never Enough".

Time to get ready for our next book, "The Imposter Bride", by Canadian author, Nancy Richler, from HarperCollins Canada. When a young, enigmatic woman arrives in post-war Montreal, it is immediately clear that she is not who she claims to be. Sounds interesting already!

For now, congratulations to "Losing Faith" winner, Nikki Robak! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "Losing Faith" Let us know what you think! I would love to discuss it with you!

To win a copy of "The Imposter Bride", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, April 23, 2012. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much for participating!

:: images courtesy of Chapters/Indigo and HarperCollins Canada. 

I have been telling everyone I know about this month's book, "The Way We Fall". Canadian author, Megan Crewe, did a fantastic job of creating characters and a story that you can sink into. 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!

Megan Crewe was born in Toronto, Canada around the end of 1980. A book lover, she finished her first attempt at a novel when she was 14 and started submitting short stories to magazines around the same time. Her first published book was "Give Up the Ghost", and her second is the one we've been enjoying, "The Way We Fall". Megan now resides in Toronto with her husband. Along with her writing, she tutors children and teens with special needs. I was lucky to have the opportunity to interview Megan about "The Way We Fall".

GSB: How did you first come up with the idea for this book? Is it based on some of the panic and problems we've dealt with in the past, like SARS?

MC: I decided I wanted to write about an epidemic after having a nightmare based on a zombie virus spread in a novel I'd just finished. I realized the only other time I've had a book-based bad dream, the book also involved a deadly virus. Clearly, viruses and epidemics scare me more than just about anything else! Because I think we tell better stories when we're writing about things that really affect us emotionally, I wanted to explore that fear in a story of my own. I did draw on observations of how people reacted during scares like SARS and the recent H1N1 outbreak as I was writing.

GSB: I appreciated that it was set in Canada, though the island was never named, was it? How important is it to you to include a Canadian location?

MC: The island isn't named because it doesn't actually exist and I wanted to leave it a little vague. It's supposed to be off the coast of Nova Scotia, but I didn't want to inflict my deadly virus on an actual town, so I made up my own. That also gave me more flexibility to adjust the setting to fit the story. But it was important to me to set the book in Canada because so few books are ... even Canadian authors often set their books in the US to make them more accessible to the larger American readership. I knew I had a story that could be set in Canada, so I wanted to take the opportunity to give this country a little fictional representation.

GSB: The series of symptoms that the virus has - from a fever, a scratchy throat, the happiness and saying everything you think to the scary screaming ...  did you come up with these or are they based on research of any other viruses?

MC: I did a lot of research on viruses before I started writing and many aspects of my virus are based on actual sicknesses. It's very common for the first symptoms of any disease to be flu-like, for example, because many of them (e.g., the fever, the congestion) are not directly provoked by the virus, but rather by the immune system trying to burn or flush out the unwanted invader. I was particularly creeped out and inspired by two specific infectious agents: a parasite that is carried by cats and when passed to mice makes them less scared of cats so it'll be easier for another cat to eat them and take in the parasitea and a fungus that takes control of the insects it infects, making them climb to great heights so the breeze can carry away the fungus spores that then explode out of them. The thought of being infected by something that could affect the way you think and behave is even more frightening than anything it can do to your body, especially if it's controlling you to make it easier for it to infect others.

GSB: Since your novel is based in Canada, do you think other First World countries would react differently to this same situation?

MC: It's hard to know, because we haven't faced a situation quite like what happens in the book yet. I don't know if the way I wrote it is even how the Canadian government would respond! I do think most countries would resort to quarantines and risk a few dying for the sake of the larger population, if it came to that.

GSB: I can't wait to read more about this world and find out who's on the boat and what is happening on the main land! Are you working on the next novel yet?

MC: Book 2, THE LIVES WE LOST, is already written and going through copy edits right now. All those questions will be answered! I'm actually working on the third book in the trilogy at the moment. Everything in publishing has to get done well ahead of time.

GSB: Did you have all three books planned out before writing or has your novel and characters evolved with writing?

MC: I had a general sense of what would happen in the sequels before I started writing THE WAY WE FALL, but working through the books has helped me figure out the details and certain ideas have evolved once I saw how they worked on the page. I find it's always that way with writing. You can plan all you want, but you never know exactly how the story will come out until you're putting down the words.

GSB: What advice can you give to young Canadian authors?

MC: Read everything you can get your hands on. You never know what you might learn from or be inspired by. Write lots, because practice is the most important factor in improving as a writer. Realize that writing is a skill you need to develop and have patience with yourself as you work on getting better at it. Be willing to seek out critical feedback and take it into consideration even if it's hard to hear. And finally, don't give up. It may not happen quickly, but you'll only be successful if you keep at it.

I thank Megan so much again for the opportunity to interview her! I cannot wait until Book Two, "The Lives We Lost", comes out!

Time to get ready for our next book, "Losing Faith", by Canadian author, Denise Jaden.

"When Brie’s sister, Faith, dies in a fall from a cliff, Brie’s world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood, Brie must also contend with increasingly distant parents, her boyfriend’s betrayal and her sudden outcast status at school. And once she’s over the initial shock of Faith’s death, Brie is encountering more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don’t line up. She soon uncovers Faith’s role in a dark and twisted religious cult…a cult that now wants Brie as a member."

Sounds very interesting! I can't wait to read it.

For now, congratulations to "The Way We Fall" winner, Maegan Morin! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "The Way We Fall" Let us know what you think! I would love to discuss it with you!

To win a copy of "Losing Faith", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, March 19, 2012. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much for participating!

 

Have you 'Liked ' us on Facebook yet? 

 

:: images courtesy of Chris Blanchenot and Chapters -Indigo

I am still talking about this month's book, "The Sisters Brothers", in our Buy Canadian First Book Club. I can't believe how much I enjoyed a western! Canadian-made author Patrick deWitt did an amazing job of bringing the readers into the book; I especially love his intermission sections. 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!

 

Patrick deWitt was born on Vancouver Island in 1975. In fact, his family on both sides is very Canadian, back to his great-great-grandparents. His mother was born on PEI and his father in Fort Erie, Ontario. Author of two novels, "Ablutions: Notes for a Novel", and this month's book, "The Sisters Brothers", Patrick deWitt is becoming a very famous Canadian. He hasn't always been a famous author though. In the past, Patrick has worked as a labourer, a clerk, a dishwasher and a bartender; just goes to show you that you need to stick with your dream!

Now that we are on month six of our Book Club and heading into month seven, a great resource for keeping track of your books is Goodreads. Not only can you keep track of your books, but you can also rate the books, see what the average rating is, read reviews, get updates on the authors, join groups and more! Click here to follow me on Goodreads.

 

Time to get ready for our next book, "The Way We Fall" by Canadian author, Megan Crewe. "Sixteen-year-old old Kaelyn challenges her fears, finds a second chance at love, and fights to keep her family and friends safe as a deadly new virus devastates her island community". Visit Megan's website to view the very exciting trailer for her new book!

For now, congratulations to "The Sisters Brothers" winner, George Millward! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "The Sisters Brothers" - I can not wait to discuss it with you!

To win a copy of "The Way We Fall", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, February 20, 2012. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much for participating!

 Are you a member of GoodReads yet?

:: images courtesy of Chapters -Indigo

My little sign and graphics business resides in a very small town in British Columbia, Canada. But, apparently, size has no merit when it comes to making good decisions for a business that continues to thrive after 20 years.  And I believe that has a lot to do with purchasing made-in-Canada products.

 

Canadian purchases treat my business very well! And here’s why:

Speed:
Whenever something is required, a quick phone call to a Canadian supplier will have that item in my driveway the next day. YES! The next day! How quickly stock is received is a huge factor in the success of my business. Staying within my border simplifies the steps and helps keep details on track.

 

Lower fees:

Even if an item shows a bit more expensive in Canada than elsewhere, I generally still end up saving money. Things like brokerage issues, higher shipping fees and the exchange rate all come into play.

This is not to say that I don’t enjoy shopping elsewhere, on occasion. Sometimes Canada doesn’t carry what another region does. However, I gauge the time frame and extra costs associated with each purchase and always come up with the realization that staying within the Canadian border is the best choice for my business.

Local shipping:

A good relationship with a local shipper also makes a difference. Because ‘they know your needs’, they can help override the little technical things that can go wrong.

 

Having local suppliers AND shippers provides everything possible to keep my business happy and prosperous. And I know I have Canada to thank for that!

How has using local services helped you?

 : :Photos are courtesy of Donna's local Canadian businesses: Graphic Impact and Funky Junk Interiors.

I really enjoyed this month's book, "Light Lifting", in our Buy Canadian First Book Club. Finding out how much I enjoyed a collection of short stories has opened up a whole new world for me in the way of reading and authors. 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!

 

Son of noted Canadian novelist and short story writer, Alistair MacLeod, this month's author, Alexander MacLeod, was born in Inverness, Nova Scotia and raised in Windsor, Ontario (where his father taught at the University of Windsor). As I mentioned last week, he currently lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, where he teaches at Saint Mary's University.

 

This month's book, "Light Lifting", was a shortlisted nominee for the 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize, and the 2011 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, A Globe & Mail, Quill & Quire, and Amazon.ca Best Book of the Year, as well. It was also Alexander's debut novel. We haven't heard about any new novel in the works from Alexander but we are keeping our fingers crossed that he continues to write.

This month I'd like to share with you what some other people are saying about "Light Lifting". Here's some quotes from reviews all over the web:

"Among the seven longish stories that make up this collection, there is not a single misstep" (Goodreads user)

"Light Lifting is the best short story collection I've read in a while" (Goodreads user)

"Alexander MacLeod demonstrates a strapping writerly prowess" (The National Post)

"Light Lifting is one of those rare debuts: a breathtakingly good collection of short fiction that heralds the arrival of a significant new talent" (Quill & Quire)

"One of the best short story collections I have ever read - and I read a lot" (Amazon.ca user)

Once you've read the novel come back and share your review with us!

Time to get ready for our next book, "The Sisters Brothers" by Canadian born author, Patrick deWitt. Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2011 and the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize, and winner of the Governor General's Literary Award, and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. I have seen this novel absolutely everywhere lately! With The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt pays homage to the classic Western, transforming it into an unforgettable comic tour de force. I can not wait to find out what made this book so popular.

For now, congratulations to our "Light Lifting" winner, Rose Queen! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "Light Lifting" - I can not wait to discuss it with you.

To win a copy of "The Sisters Brothers", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, January 23, 2012. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much for participating!

Do you prefer short stories or novels? 

:: images courtesy of Chapters -Indigo 

Welcome to month five of the Buy Canadian First Book Club and Day 19 of our Cross Canada Countdown! We have had a great time learning about all of our fantastic Canadian authors! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books, 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 author Alexander MacLeod!

Alexander MacLeod was born in Inverness, Cape Breton and raised in Windsor, Ontario, and now resides in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and teaches at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

His debut novel, "Light Lifting", was shortlisted for the Giller Prize and the Commonwealth Prize and was the winner of an Atlantic Book Award. "Light Lifting" is different from the other books we've read in the Buy Canadian First Book Club as it's a collection of short fiction.

Many of the stories are family-based and really filled with a sense of yearning. I'm one for book series; because I read so fast I like to keep up with the characters. I could not believe how quickly Alexander brought his characters to life in such a few pages. I would love to read more about each and every one of them. In fact, I would love it if he would produce seven novels based on his seven short stories.

Nothing amazing or outstanding happened in any of the stories. One was about a family that had contracted terrible head-lice, of all things. Another was a story about a family of young boys that loved to play hockey on the street and their rocky relationship with a boy that lived in the rental house across the street. Then there was Allan's story, a teenager who rode his bike all over town delivering medication and supplies for a pharmacy. The folks he delivers to you can probably relate to some folks you've met along the way, and you can feel for Allan trying to ride his bike through the snow. Another about some brick layers and their summer student - brick layers!!

But the stories were amazing! The descriptions brought the stories to life and I wanted to know everything about these characters, even the brick layers. I can see why this award-winning collection of stories is so popular. It leaves you wanting more at every turn; with fantastic writing, settings in everyday life that we, as Canadians, can completely relate to, I highly recommend this book.

 Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Alexander MacLeod's book, "Light Lifting", and read along with us! The winner will be announced in article when we learn more about Alexander MacLeod, here on the Good Shopper blog, next Monday. Just answer the following question to qualify in the comment section below. Good luck!

Are you giving or asking for any books for Christmas?

 

:: images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo. 

MONTREAL-BASED COMPANY WANTS EVERYONE TO "BUY CANADIAN FIRST" THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Buy Canadian First is proud to announce a Canadian first: an entire campaign dedicated to raising awareness amongst consumers about the benefits of buying Canadian-made products and supporting Canadian businesses.

It is Day 15 of our Cross Canada Countdown and we are visiting designer Dylan Ribkoff, of  Montreal, Quebec. But first, are you wondering if it is going to be a green Christmas this year? It's grey and rainy here in Central Ontario, but I'm warmed by all the 'sweet comments' that you are leaving on yesterday's post about your Canadian  Christmas memories of Ganong Candy. If you haven't tried Ganong Chocolates and Candies yet, leave a comment  about why you would like to, just like SaraD did! You could win some Chicken Bones! Good luck! We'll pick a winner next Wednesday.

 

On a gloomy day like today, the bright colours of Dylan Ribkoff's creations are very hot cheerful, aren't they? Darling Husband gets underwear in his stocking every year, but nothing like these .. . yet! These undies are made of a higher quality cotton yarn that results in a softer, more durable fabric than open-end yarn. They are ring-spun, which takes about five times longer and requires extra steps but results in unparalled softness and super comfiness! It looks good, too! Very good.

He's worth it , though. Every little last bit of him! 

 

Did you catch Dylan on CBC's Dragons' Den? It was a great segment ! This guy really gets what made-in-Canada is all about and the Dragons loved him! 

"Keeping our production local means that we can do our part in helping the environment. Cotton is a renewable resource; it's so beautiful in raw form. Why ruin something so clean and environmentally friendly by putting it on any more trucks and boats than it needs to be on?" - Dylan Ribkoff 

So tell me, Canada, boxers or briefs? 

: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First Member Dylan Ribkoff

Day 7 in our Cross Canada Countdown and today we are everywhere that there is an Chapters-Indigo store. First though, we remind you that there is one more day left for our made-in-Canada  Chillbed Industries Ltd. laptop cooling giveaway! It's super easy to enter:  just follow them on Facebook and Twitter ! We will announce the winner here tomorrow. Don't forget that you can also win a lovely gift basket from Natural Plantation for submitting your Winter photos to our Facebook page.

 

Chapters-Indigo has a a really well organized Canadian gift guide and strives to highlight Canadians on their website, which really impressed me. I went there looking for some Canadian Crooners to listen to as Christmas approaches and maybe even to stuff in a few stockings. (The CDs, not the crooners!). I found a section called Canada First, in the Music department!

Here are some suggestions for your list of Canadian Christmas Crooners:

 

Michael Buble, Christmas

 

Justin Beiber, Under the Mistletoe

 

Diana Krall, Christmas Songs 

 

  David Foster, The Christmas Album

 

Rankin Sisters, Do You Hear? 

 

Anne Murray, Christmas Album 

What's your favourite Christmas album?

 :: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member, Chapter-Indigo.. 

 

 

It's Day 6, (already) and I have a special treat for our Cross Canada Countdown! It's a video by Manitoba sixteen year old, Sean Quigley. Sean plays all the instruments and sings too! Plus, he directed his sister on how to shoot the video! This is definitely made-in-Canada and it is currently travelling around the world at the speed of light! (That's still fast, isn't it?) 

 

The Canadian Drummer Boy!   

I hope you enjoy this great Canadian video! See you tomorrow when we'll visit yet another talented Canadian.

 

If you would like us to visit you for tips on enjoying December, please leave a comment below. We are having a lot of fun getting to know you all!

:: video courtesy of Sean Quigley YouTube + image courtesy of Google Maps.

 

I was very excited to have the opportunity to interview Canadian-made author, Lynn Coady, for the Buy Canadian First Book Club! You can read my review of her book "The Antagonist", in last Monday's Good Shopper Blog. I also have a book winner to announce at the end of this post!

 

GSB: I loved the Canadian references in "The Antagonist", as Rank is at a Canadian University on a hockey scholarship. Was Java Joe's another Canadian kick back? I know there really is a Java Joe and that they are a Canadian owned and operated company. I took the Icy Dream and Java Joe references to really be Dairy Queen and Canadian icon, Tim Horton's.

LC: Hmm...I thought I made Java Joe's up! I didn't realize there was actually a coffee franchise called that. Yes, your instincts were correct, I imagined Icy Dream and Java Joe's as through-the-looking-glass versions of DQ and Tim Horton's.

GSB: How important is it to you to have Canadian connections in your book?

LC: I write stories that are set in contemporary Canada and my characters are Canadian. What's important to me is being straightforward about that, not pretending otherwise or feeling hamstrung by silly fears that there's something provincial or problematic about setting a work of fiction in the Canadian here and now. What's provincial is that fear itself. No one complains about Roddy Doyle setting his novels in Ireland, or JM Coetzee setting his latest books in Australia. This is the only country I know where the question even comes up.

GSB: You have so much insight into a tough Canadian "thug" like Rank, getting into university on a hockey scholarship, sitting outside on a couch in the snow BBQing (love it!) - how did you research your novel?

LC: The only stuff I really had to research was hockey and the juvenile court system. It's not hard to do research on hockey in this country, fortunately. What I did in this case was, I wrote the hockey-related scenes as best as I could and then gave a draft of the book to two gentlemen friends of mine who played hockey in high school and university--they were my technical advisers. They pointed out anything I got wrong and reassured me about the things I got right.

The university scenes didn't require much research outside of a university education and having male friends. Sitting outside on a couch in the snow--hasn't everyone done that at some point in their twenties?

GSB: I love that our world has evolved so that in our books characters are using email and Facebook. Do you find our new ways of communication easier to include in your books or do you think it's hard to keep track of what a character might email, text, tweet or post on Facebook?

LC: Facebook was used pretty deliberately in "The Antagonist"--I didn't really mean for it to seem like just a regular part of Rank's life, I wanted to show him discovering it as a tool, as a means of reconnecting with his past. The novel couldn't have happened without Facebook, and in fact it was my own experience with Facebook that inspired a crucial element of the novel--Rank's past coming back to haunt him in a very immediate way, yet a way that feels both real and unreal at once. When I started writing "The Antagonist", Facebook was still pretty new, so I had an awareness of incorporating this new technology into the story, but with something like email--email has become so ubiquitous these days that I now write about characters emailing each other without giving it a second thought, the same way I'd write about them watching TV or using a coffee machine. Recently, I wrote my first short story that involves people texting one another. I think all the new communications technology amounts to something writers can't help but embrace--this is how people speak to one  another now and that makes it central to the stories we tell about contemporary life.

GSB: What Canadians do you look towards for inspiration in the world of authors and journalism?

LC: With authors, I admire my fellow East Coasters Lisa Moore and Michael Winter and David Adams Richards and my fellow Edmontonians Greg Hollingshead and Marina Endicott. To give Toronto its due, I've been really enjoying How Should a Person Be? by Sheila Heti. And there are so many great journalists and non-fiction writers in Canada, one of them being my friend here in Edmonton, Curtis Gillespie, with whom I work on the magazine Eighteen Bridges. There are a lot of great journalists who I follow on Twitter, like Chris Turner, Judith Timson, Stephanie Nolan, Kady O'Malley, Doug Saunders and Carl Wilson.

GSB: What is one piece of advice you can pass on to a Canadian teenager dreaming about becoming an author?

LC: Read everything until you figure out what you like. Then figure out why you like it. Then write like that.

GSB: Thank you so much for chatting with me, Lynn!! I look forward to catching up with your other books "Strange Heaven", "Play the Monster Blind", "Saints of Big Harbour", and "Mean Boy".

Now is the time to get ready for our next book. We'll be reading "Light Lifting", by Canadian author, Alexander MacLeod. "Light Lifting" is said to be one of those rare debuts: a breathtakingly good collection of short fiction that heralds the arrival of a significant new talent.

Congratulation to our winner, Peggy O'Reilley, who has won a copy of Lynn Coady's novel, "The Antagonist"! I look forward to chatting about the book with you in our Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook and I will be in touch as to how you can claim your prize!

To win a copy of "Light Lifting", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, December 19, 2011. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much for participating!

:: images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo. 

Welcome to month four of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! We have had a great time learning about all of our fantastic Canadian authors! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook where we discuss the books, authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when my interview with Lynn Coady, is published!

 

 

Lynn Coady is a novelist, editor and journalist. Originally from Cape Breton Island, Lynn now resides in Edmonton. Her latest novel, and this month's book choice, "The Antagonist", was shortlisted for the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

"The Antagonist" is written as a series of emails and Facebook messages from Gordon Rankin ("Rank"), to an old university friend whom Rank has discovered has written a novel mirroring Rank's own life! Funny, sad and, I think, a fantastic perspective from a true male, Lynn has taken me out of my comfort zone in a great way.

I'm not usually interested in a "thug" like Rank - a 6"4' hockey player, a bouncer at his dad's Icy Dream franchise, then a failing university student, but Lynn's insight and steady stream of details into Rank's history is a fantastic read.

 

 

Rank is not happy to have his life stolen by Adam, his old friend, and put into a novel. He also doesn't believe Adam told the whole story.  Through these emails, Rank is now looking back at his own life and his relationship with his dad with a fresh perspective.

I loved that Rank was in university on a hockey scholarship and that his father, Gord, thought back in 1981 that no one would be interested in a coffee franchise. I also loved how, in university, Rank and his friends sat on a couch in the snow, BBQing. That sounds really close to something I did in college, too ... ha ha! These Canadian connections really brought the novel to life for me.

I can see why "The Antagonist" was short listed for the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize. I was so impressed with this novel and can't wait to read the rest of Lynn Coady's books.

Be sure to keep up with Lynn's blog online and follow her on Twitter for all her latest news and information.

Contest Giveaway:

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

What is your favourite Canadian winter sport?

I missed the Remembrance Day ceremony at the school the other day but I am thrilled that my middle child did attend with her peers in their kindergarten class. I am grateful to know that she too will learn how precious her freedom and liberties are and why. There is also another reason that this day is important to me; my grandfather passed away on this day in 2004. Despite the years that have passed, for some reason, this year's post has been difficult to write.

I will remember by attending a nearby ceremony today in St. Pierre Jolys, Manitoba and I will honour veterans by wearing a poppy on my coat. I will answer the questions that my little ones have and teach them of the sacrifices that have been made. I will remember my grandfather and how he stood in respect anytime he saw a solider in uniform. This was important to him, to honour those who fought for freedom and right.

 

How will you remember?  The Veterans Affairs Canada  website has this tag-line and it is such a valid question. Over two million Canadians  have served for justice and freedom and  117,000 Canadian men and women have given their lives. You can participate onlineby joining the Remembrance Day social media sites (Facebook , Twitter and YouTube )  and attend a service today. Take your friends and children and remember why we are so fortunate to live in Canada.

How will you remember?

Today, I would love to share some made-in-Canada blogs with you. I've gathered some of my favourite blogs written by Canadian Moms!

 

Tales of Ranting Ginger is written by Canadian Mom, "Gingermommy". She is very vocal in Canadian social media and you can find her on Facebook, Twitter and her blog. Gingermommy is one of my first online visits of the day, because she always has some great Canadian deals to list, fun stories about her family and amazing giveaways. One of my recent favourites is her post about Lunch Inspirations, something I think we all need!

 

Maple Leaf Mommy is an outstanding member of the blogging community. A recent speaker at this year's ShesConnected Conference, "Maple Leaf Mommy"  is becoming an expert on blogging and a great go-to girl about everything! She also shares some very sweet stories about her two little ones and youwill even see a guest post or two from her husband! The perfect site to visit for sweet family stories, fun giveaways (have you seen that she is giving away TWO coffee makers?) and great Canadian content.

 

Mom vs. the Boys is a Canadian stay-at-home mom to three boys under the age of five! Also a recent speaker at this year's ShesConnected Conference, "Mom Vs. the Boys" is a fun and friendly Canadian mom to follow. She blogs about great Canadian companies, sweet stories about her boys and more. I loved her recent post about redoing her Blogging Headquarters - so fun!

 

Multi-Testing Mommy is THE place to head for awesome recipes, craft ideas, family information and giveaways! She's in the midst of running a Blog Hop full of Canadian Cookies and Holiday Treats! I adored her recent post about Pumpkin decorating too. "Multi-Testing Mommy" writes a well-rounded blog that every mom should check out.

 

Looking for coupons and deals? Look no further than Talking Momcents - she knows her stuff! A Canadian mom of two who shops the deals and finds the freebies, "Talking Momcents" always has something new to share. Besides the deals, she recently posted an amazing catch of the recent Aurora Borealis. Always full of suprises, Talking Momcents is a daily must read.

 What's your favourite Canadian mom blog and why? 

I so enjoyed this month's book, "Water for Elephants", in our 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!

As I mentioned last week, Sara Gruen, though now living in the United States, has dual citizenship and was raised here in Canada, in London Ontario. When she was laid off work from a technical writing job in Ottawa in 2001, she decided to try writing fiction and her first novel, "Riding Lessons" was born.

"Riding Lessons" is said to be a tale of human healing set against the primal world of horses. Animals being a theme in all of Sara's novels, with horses front and centre in her first two novels, "Riding Lessons" and it's sequel, "Flying Changes". From horses, Gruen went to Rosie the elephant, among other circus animals, in this month's book "Water for Elephants". Her latest book, "Ape House", centres on Bonobos Apes.

I loved our book club questions last month and hope we can continue discussions on our novels. I have a few questions I'd like to pose to our readers who have read the novel. Or, you can still pick up a copy of "Water for Elephants" and come back here or to the Buy Canadian First Book Club when you are done, to discuss it.

1. Did the chapters about the nursing home change how you think about older people? In what ways are the doctors and nurses condescending? How is Rosemary different? How do you treat older people?

2. To what extent do the chapters concerning the elderly Jacob enhance the chapters recounting the young Jacob's experiences with the Benzini Brothers circus? In what ways do the chapters about the young Jacob contribute to a deeper understanding of the elderly Jacob's life?

3. Looking at himself in the mirror, the old Jacob tries "to see beyond the sagging flesh." But he claims, "It's no good. . . . I can't find myself anymore. When did I stop being me?". How would you answer that question for Jacob or any individual, or for yourself?

4. Water for Elephants has a happy ending for Jacob, but not for many other characters. Discuss Walter and Camel’s fates. How does tragedy fit into the story?

5. Did you find the prologue of the book purposely deceiving? Who did you think murdered August? Were you right? I'll be submitting my answers in the comment section and in our Facebook group in the next couple of days and look forward to reading some of your answers as well.

Time to get ready for our next book, "The Antagonist" by Nova Scotia-born, Edmonton-based novelist, Lynn Coady. Lynn is known as one of Canada's best loved authors, and her first novel, "Strange Heaven" (1998), was nominated for a Governor General's Award. "The Antagonist" is shortlisted for the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize and I can not wait to find out why!

For now, congratulations to our "Water for Elephants" winner, Julia H.! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "Water for Elephants" - I can not wait to discuss it with you. To win a copy of The Antagonist", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, November 21, 2011. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much for participating!

Do you like circuses? If so, what is your favourite aspect?

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member, Chapters-Indigo.

As you know, I attended the Canadian ShesConnected Conference last week in Toronto, Ontario - and what a great two days it was!

 

The first few steps included packing, then making it to the train on time, remembering to take some anti-nausea medication (I get terrible motion sickness), and making it to the hotel. Thankfully, I had an awesome travel buddy, Gingermommy from Tales of a Ranting Ginger, and we had a great time together.

 

After getting checked in and down to the conference room, it was go, go, go right away. We were already chatting with brands, grabbing some fun swag bags, meeting other bloggers and making those connections we were there to make.

Some of the fun swag included glasses from Molson, Adult Essentials Gummies and Olive Oil from Christine Cushing. I have to admit it was exciting! 

 

From the sponsors I learned some great information:

 

* Canada is the second largest single country donor to World Food Program
* Molson has been brewing for 225 years
* Chicken Farmers of Canada promise us there are no hormones in chickens
* Ford is focusing on green cars - including using recycled jeans and using wheat straw in the plastic pieces in their cars

 

From our sessions a lot of fantastic information came out as well:

 

* There's never been a better time to be a woman, according to Sheryl Connelly from Ford.
* Many bloggers believe that their time is worth money and when working with brands they should be paid.
* Moms trust the opinions of other Moms and want to hear about products and services from them.
* Ask for help when you need it, really, just ask - this is very hard for many women, I know.
* It's more important who you are connected with, not so much about how many, it's not always about numbers.
* You and your family will appreciate the history and stories of your lives, no other generation has had this - keep blogging, writing and archiving your memories.

 

Check out this article and video from the Toronto Star as they report on the conference. One great thing I loved from the article was this quote: "Some 55 million women across North America read other women’s blogs every month. And about 80 per cent of them will make a purchasing decision based on what they’ve read".

 

Do you look towards blogs and information from Moms when researching products?

 

Images courtesy of the ShesConnected Conference website.

Constable Michael B. Potvin - July 13, 2010 (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)

Constable Sébastien Coghlan-Goyette - November 14, 2010 (Sûreté du Québec)

Sergeant Ryan J. Russell - January 12, 2011 (Toronto Police Service)

Constable Garrett Styles - June 28, 2011 (York Regional Police Service)

 

Their names are forever etched on the glass panels erected along the perimeter wall adjacent to the Memorial Pavilion which now totals 822 fallen officers. The Service is a lasting tribute to the sacrifice of those brave men and women.

"THEY ARE OUR HEROES, WE SHALL NOT FORGET THEM/ CE SONT NOS HÉROS. NOUS NE LES OUBLIERONS JAMAIS".

 

In 1998, the federal government officially proclaimed the last Sunday of each September as Police and Peace Officers' National Memorial Day. This Service gives Canadians an opportunity to express their appreciation for the ultimate dedication of these police and peace officers.

The Canadian Police and Peace Officers Annual Memorial Service is organized by the Canadian Police Association (CPA), the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and the Canadian Peace Officers' Memorial Association (CPOMA). 

The 34th National Memorial Service has been scheduled as follows:

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.	Reading of the entire Honour Roll of fallen officers at the Memorial Pavilion on Parliament Hill, West Corner.
10:00 a.m.	Prelude by police choirs (steps in front of the Peace Tower).
10:15 a.m.	Police and Peace Officers' Parade proceeds to Parliament Hill from Supreme Court of Canada, corner of Kent and Wellington.
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.	Memorial Service on Parliament Hill.

 

I will never forget listening, just this Summer, to the harrowing account of Constable Garret Styles , of the York Regional Police Service. He died in June 2011, after being dragged and pinned under a van. Constable Styles' father is a respected policeman himself and Constable Styles' wife is a civilian who works in Police Service. She had given birth about six weeks before the tragedy. They also have another child who was two years old at the time.

Constable Styles was truly committed to a life of service and hearing about his death was really heart-breaking. I have nothing but admiration and gratitude for these people, who put themselves in danger on a daily basis, in order to protect the rest of us.  

Will you be watching the ceremony on Sunday? 

:: images courtesy of the Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial Association

Not only am I a work-from-home Mom, a contributor to Buy Canadian First , a contributor to REAL - The Canadian Kids Magazine, as well as an avid Tweeter and Facebooker, I'm also a blogger on my own site: Did you know Canada?

 

 

 

 

Being connected in so many ways online has earned me an invite as one of the Top 200 Influential Digital women in Canada to the ShesConnected Conference that takes place this month in Toronto.  The ShesConnected conference is different than typical blogger conferences. Women attending this event are hand-picked based on their social media reach as well as the power of their 'digital voice' and influence. The result is high quality attendees.

 

 

 

Over two days I will be connecting with brands such as the conference's title sponsor - Ford Canada. Other brands include Maple Leaf, Janes Family Foods, Royal Canadian Mint and Parent Tested Parent Approved to name a few.

 

I'll have the opportunity to learn what these brands have to offer, how they fit into my home life and if they are really brands I want to stand behind, put my trust in and share with my friends, family and online readers.  I'll also be learning tips & tricks for my online interactions, the best way to run promotions and build my relationships with these companies.  Check out their fantastic speaker list for the conference.

 

 

This two day event is at the end of this month. When I get back, I look forward to sharing my adventure with you, from the train ride there, to hopefully not getting lost on the way to conference, to what I learn, who I meet and how it all went.

 

Can anyone share some travel and conference tips with me?

 

Images courtesy of the ShesConnected Conference.

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?
.

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?

.
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.

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. 

SK: I have always loved hearing stories about where people get their ideas, such as J.K. Rowling's famous story about the Harry Potter characters walking into her head while she was on a train. Passionate about products made in Canada, founder of Buy Canadian First, Isabelle Remy, also has a story that I love to read, and which she relates here

SK: Isabelle, so much has happened since your 'light bulb moment' about made in Canada products. When you look back on the last four years what are your first thoughts?

IR: I'm very proud of what we have accomplished so far. We were really the first company to go out there and promote products based on their country of origin. It had never been done before, on this scale, at least. Many proud Canadians had created (and continue to create) small websites dedicated to 'Made in Canada', and we are really inspired by that! But to build an entire marketing/advertising/communications business dedicated to promoting Canadian companies and Canadian products, that was a first. We continue to grow and add services to our offering that we never thought would be available to us, such as TV segments. The business has really taken on a life of its own, and I'm really proud of that!

 
SK: During the first few months that you started looking into what Canadian made products could be purchased, were you surprised with what was available?

 

IR: I was blown away! And still am today. Whenever I hear people saying "Even if I wanted to buy Canadian, I can't because we don't make anything in this country anymore.", it drives me nuts! That is a huge mistake and such a great disservice to all Canadians busy making great products! So wherever and whenever I can contribute to dismissing that rumour, I do!


SK: What has been the biggest challenge in providing information on Canadian made products?

IR: Finding them! When we started in 2007, it was so difficult to find information about Canadian-made products. It still is today, but to a lesser extent. We like to think we have been instrumental in opening manufacturers' eyes to this great big market of consumers looking for products that are made in Canada. I don't know if it has something to do with Canadian modesty or what, but we need to be cheer-leading a bit more for our country!


SK: I love watching the videos of you visiting morning news shows, such as your recent visit with /A\ Morning Ottawa. How to do you feel about being able to promote Canadian companies on TV?

IR: Thanks! It is often nerve-wracking because I want to represent our members to the best of my abilities, and live TV is not easy! Time flies and the first thing you know is that it's over and you wish you had more time! It's never about me being on camera, but always about promoting the great Canadian-made products I bring. I am very passionate about what I do and people tell me they can feel it, so I guess that's good!  


SK: I actually hadn't realized that Mr. Freeze was made in Canada! So glad I learned that during your /A\ Morning Ottawa segment! Have there ever been any companies or products that really surprised you when you found out they were Canadian?

IR: I know, isn't that great about Mr. Freeze! We all grew up with that brand, and they are such an amazing company. They support many local charities and events and are always ready to jump in and lend a hand. Shout out to them! I am often pleasantly surprised by the variety of products made in Canada. We expect lots of food products to be made here, for example, but rubber boots? Gardening tools? the world's only natural memory foam mattress? Awesome!


SK: I love that the internet and social media have made it much easier to find out about companies in general - they tweet, they post on Facebook, you really feel there are real people out there again. How has social media helped with the challenge of finding products made in Canada?

IR: Social media has really changed the way people do business, in every industry. It's now so easy to make other companies (prospects, service providers, etc) aware of your existence simply by engaging with them on Twitter & Facebook in a direct and personal way. It is getting easier to make alliances with like-minded individuals and really develop productive relationships faster. So many new Canadian friends!


SK: Has anyone ever asked about a product made in Canada that you had to tell them simply wasn't made by any Canadian company?

IR: Yes, sadly. Electronics are an obvious one, as well as small kitchen appliances, sneakers, etc. It's a sign of the times. Some manufacturing will never return, but I have faith that with the rise in oil prices and standards of living in Asia, the phenomenon of "reverse globalisation" (where manufacturing starts to return to the western world) will happen sooner or later. It's my favourite expression!


SK: Thanks so much for sharing with us, Isabelle. What's coming up in the next few months on BuyCanadianFirst.ca?

IR: Thanks for asking! Ahead, lots of new promotional events in store to continue to highlight the amazing products made in this great country of ours. Stay tuned for behind the scene info, getting to know the people behind the brands, and lots more contests and giveaways!

But for now: Happy Canada Day everyone! Let's get out there and celebrate the best country in the world, count our blessings and just have a good time!

Isabelle.

Interview by Stacey Kazmir

Photo by Lisa Howard.

The theme for this year's Black History Month is "Our Canadian Story: Guiding Our Youth to Success" and the four black Canadians chosen for recognition exemplify the attributes one hopes to find in role models.

  

Women in front of YWCA’s Ontario House, 698 Ontario Street - ca. 1912
                             Photographer: William James
                       City of Toronto Archives - Fonds 1244, Item 71.22

Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued the following statement, February 1, in Ottawa, Ontario, in recognition of Black History Month:

 

            Coat of Arms of the Prime Minister of Canada 

"February is Black History Month and an opportunity to celebrate the values of perseverance and dignity that have defined the black community in Canada. “

This year, we celebrate four outstanding Canadian icons whose stories characterize the pride, strength and dignity that have driven black Canadians to realize their ambitions in different fields.

  

                                    Dr. Carrie Best

John Ware, born into slavery in South Carolina, moved to Alberta where he achieved success and fame. As a pioneer of “steer wrestling,” his legacy is enjoyed by more than a million people each year at the Calgary Stampede. “

At the turn of the 20th century, Dr. Carrie Best broke down barriers and changed mindsets - thriving as a broadcaster, author, human rights activist and the founder of the first black-owned newspaper in Nova Scotia.

Two of Canada's greatest athletes also overcame obstacles and changed attitudes in professional sports. Ferguson Jenkins became the only Canadian player to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame, while Jarome Iginla was the first black captain in the National Hockey League.

“During Black History Month, I encourage Canadians to learn more about the important contributions of black Canadians to our great nation and to participate in various events celebrating this part of our culture."

  

                      Chapters-Indigo

Chapters-Indigo has several excellent Reading Lists for Black History Month.  You can find out what Black History Month activities are happening in your neighbourhood by Googling "Black History Month + your place name".  The Black History Canada site, also has helpful resources, including event listings.

Are you planning on attending any events in your area?

Source: www.pm.gc.ca

When my husband was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the end of the summer we went into a whirlwind of emotions. It was never what we could have imagined for our family, and while we were quickly reassured that this cancer has very high survival and cure rates, the shock did not easily go away. I wrote about our discovery on my personal blog.

In between surgery, chemo appointments, raising our children, taking care of his health, maintaining the household and so on, we haven’t had to worry much about the system.

 

Living in Ontario means that his procedures and care – surgery and recovery, chemotherapy, doctor appointments, home care visits and supplies – are mostly, if not completely, covered. Having the financial burden lifted, in many ways helps reduce stress, at a time when stress is high.

In Canada, we pride ourselves on our health care. And while we all have different experiences, and some are more positive than others, we are blessed to have the system we have.

Most importantly, we discovered that while ‘the system’ may be full of paper work and bureaucracy, it’s full of people, too. The receptionists, nurses, home care workers, doctors, oncologists – it has been our experience that they all care.

When our family doctor arranged a special meeting after the original diagnosis, and sat to answer our questions, we never felt rushed and really felt his care and support.

When the urologist came out personally after surgery to tell me it went very well, his presence was reassuring.

When our oncologist puts her hand on my knee and says "He’ll be fine", I believe her.

These are people who care.

Canada’s system isn’t perfect and each election seems to report on health care in some positive and negative light. But my family is living it first hand, and while we encounter small bumps along the road (in some cases, I see why wait times can be a problem) we have had as good an experience as we can. Given the situation we are in, that says a lot.

Is it the Canadian way to be so well cared for? Or do you think it is just the luck of the draw? I like to believe the system is filled only with such great people and am confident we will be well taken care of in this country.

I know my husband is. And at this moment, that gives me great hope.

On top of it all, we are a concerned country.  Donations and fundraisers exist for many forms of cancer, and more recently it seems, more awareness is being paid to men's health. 

Awareness is crucial in detecting many cancers early in order to have the best success rates.  This couldn't have been more true for the testicular cancer my husband has.  It is one that spreads extremely fast, so his awareness to get checked early helped place his cure rate much higher. 

This year alone, I noticed a trend in creating that awareness for men. Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver hosted The Underwear Affair to raise awareness, and funds, for 'down there' cancers in men and women. 

A testicular cancer survivor himself, Mark set out to work with Stanfield's (a Canadian company!) to raise money and awareness for testicular cancer by being at home in his underwear for 25 days.  Never leaving the house, and broadcasting live over the internet - in only his underwear - he became 'The Guy at Home in his Underwear' and successfully raised over $50,000.

Meanwhile, as November comes to an end, many men are preparing to shave their mustaches.  Many grew their 'mo's' in November for 'Movember' to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer.

 

No matter how creative these campaigns are, getting the message remains the most important part - be aware and help if you can.   It really does make a difference.

*Image credits: www.sxc.hu, Movember Foundation, guyathome.ca

 

From the moment I landed in Winnipeg, until I left, it snowed. And not just a light dusting. By the time I went to bed (around 11PM) and then left the hotel to make my way to the CityTV studio for the BT Winnipeg show, a block away (around 6AM), there was over a foot of snow and it was still falling. I'd left Montreal on Thursday and it was hot and sunny 6 degrees and landed to a cool -6 degrees and snowing. And to think I almost didn't bring my winter coat with me!

I was staying at my usual home-away from home - The Inn at the Forks. At the front desk, they knew me as the guest who "had all those boxes shipped to the hotel". I smiled and nodded. Indeed, that is I.

After having dinner at Current Restauramt and Lounge, the hotel's amazing restaurant, I went back to my room and assembled the products that needed assembling and rehearsed, as I always do.

I was expected at the studio at 6:15AM to be ready for 6:50AM, when the first segment would air. I have to admit, I was a little surprised at the amount of snow there was. That early, the show plows hadn't passed yet but not to worry I thought. I'll put all the products into the XC Charriot Carrier and cart it on over... I was excited at the idea that I was testing out the product, right before showcasing it on live TV. I  actually jogged, in my heels, pushing the carrier in the foot of snow all the way to the studio. I must've looked ridiculous but who cares... There was nobody around, except a cab driver who offered me a ride, which I didn't need.

The first segment was about making the best of winter - indoors. You can watch the first segment here or click on the image below.

 

Here are the companies we featured:  

• Luxurious Egyptian cotton towels by Cambridge Towel Corporation - Ontario
• Mouth blown, hand cut votive candles by NovaScotian Crystals - Nova Scotia
• Caprina Goat's Milk Skin Care Products by Canus - Quebec
  

A short while later, I was back on for the second segment. This time it was about making the best of winter - outdoors. You can watch the second segment here (or click on the image). 

• Icers, anti-slip soles by Lee Valley Tools - Ontario
• XC baby carrier, including the jogging kit and cross-country ski kit by Chariot Carriers - Alberta
• Cardio Coulou joger cover and mittens by P'tit Coulou - Quebec
  

While I was setting up the second segment, Luke Fritz, the Winnipeg Blue Bomber who was there to talk about his project for the Pepsi Refresh Challenge was eyeing the Chariot Carrier (he has a 1 year old)... To be honest, everyone was in love with it. And everyone loved the P'tit Coulou Cardio Cover and mittens. Genius and darling!

If you're note already following us on Facebook, come and join us. If you're on Twitter, find us at @buycndianfirst!

 How will you make the best on winter?

Images source: BT Winnipeg

Author: Melissa Thibodeau

Today is the 11th day of the 11th month. At the 11th hour, Canadians will hold 2 minutes of silence, as we do every year, in honour of those who have fought for our freedom.

My father was a sailor in World War II. An ordinary hero, like most of the men and women who answered the call to the military life. He made it, with distinction, through that war.

Here in Peterborough, Ontario, there are more than 30 families whose sons are fighting in Afghanistan right now. Their war isn't over.

I received this in my email and thought I would pass it on to you!

 "If you look at the back right-hand side of a Canadian $10 bill, you will see an old veteran standing at attention near the Ottawa war memorial. His name is Robert Metcalfe and he died last month at the age of 90.

That he managed to live to that age is rather remarkable, given what happened in the Second World War. Born in England, he was one of the 400,000 members of the British Expeditionary Force sent to the mainland where they found themselves facing the new German warfare technique - the Blitzkrieg.

He was treating a wounded comrade when he was hit in the legs by shrapnel.

En route to hospital, his ambulance came under fire from a German tank, which then miraculously ceased fire. Evacuated from Dunkirk on HMS Grenade, two of the sister ships with them were sunk.

Recovered, he was sent to allied campaigns in North Africa and Italy. En route his ship was chased by the German battleship Bismarck.

In North Africa he served under General Montgomery against the Desert Fox, Rommel.

Sent into the Italian campaign, he met his future wife, a lieutenant and physiotherapist in a Canadian hospital. They were married in the morning by the mayor of the Italian town, and again in the afternoon by a British padre.

After the war they settled in Chatham, Ontario where he went into politics and became the warden (chairman) of the county and on his retirement he and his wife moved to Ottawa.  At the age of 80 he wrote a book about his experiences.

One day out of the blue he received a call from a government official asking him to go downtown for a photo op. He wasn't told what the photo was for or why they chose him. 'He had no idea he would be on the bill,' his daughter said.

And now you know the story of the old veteran on the $10 bill."

LIVE: Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa

Watch live coverage of the Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa, hosted by the CBC's Peter Mansbridge.

 

Today, how will you remember ? 

 

If you are dreading the thought of lugging Baby around this Winter, you will be thrilled to learn about P'tit Coulou®!

 

 

Buy Canadian First Member, P'tit Coulou®, is a 100% Canadian company, based in Quebec, offering parents an alternative method to protect Baby all-year-round.  It creates and markets innovative and practical comforters that fit any infant car seat or jogging strollers and are approved by Health Canada! You can find dealers who carry this product on and offline!

 

Savvy Grandmompreneur and Designer of P’tit Coulou®, Muriel Charbonneau, tells us how it all got started: "In December 1998, my oldest daughter gave birth to my second grandson. Each time she got the baby ready to go out, there was a serious crying match. The baby would resist being stuffed in a snow suit and the size of the suit made it difficult to strap baby into the car seat. Add to that the baby blanket and things were even more difficults. Each new outing was a serious challenge.

Why would baby wear such a non-friendly Winter suit? That is when the idea of a P’tit Coulou® was born. P’tit Coulou® is the friendly name I give my 4 grandkids. I wished to provide my two girls with a fast and easy way to travel and a comfortable but secure concept for my grandkids. Since then, hundreds of mothers use this revolutionary product built for the Canadian Winters. I am convinced that P’tit Coulou® will make your life easier and your Winter outings more enjoyable."


There is a very thorough review at Anaya, with specifications that include the CLO Value, which measures, among other things,  the thermal value of the garment (P’tit Coulou® has a CLO Value of 3.5 on a scale of 0 to 4 and a comfort zone of up to -25C.

The P’tit Coulou® Winter Collection is out now and can be viewed on their adorable  website.  Who could resist the Ladybug or Panda?

Watch P'tit Coulou on City TV!

Would having something like this change how you feel about taking Baby out in the Winter?

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member P'tit Coulou®.

I just returned from a second overnight trip to Winnipeg. The amazing people at BT Winnipeg invited me back to talk about more cool made in Canada products (read about our April segments here). I really don't tire from spreading the word about the availability and variety of Canadian-made goods. It's always exciting.

The first segment Pay Chen and I did was on Canadian-made kids stuff - just in time for the Kidsfest that's opening today and running until Sunday, down in the Forks Market area, where the Children's Museum is located. Not only that but CityTV's studio (where BT Winnipeg broadcasts from) and the hotel where I stayed (the Inn at the Forks) are all conveniently located. Timely & convenient, huh? So if you're in the area this weekend, you should check it out. The site looks awesome and Fred Penner will be performing too! Remember his remake of The Cat Came Back? Man! that song brings me back... lol... But alas... I digress... These are the companies we featured:

Canadian Cozy, Ontario (official website)

 

Outset Media's Professor Noggins, British-Columbia (official website)

 

Sam Bat, Ontario (official website)

 

Also displayed but did not have time to talk about is Heiko, Quebec (official website)

 

I was wearing Le Chateau, my jewellery was by Pushan Designs and my makeup was by Pure Anada and Cover FX.

After a few commercials and the weather we were back with a second segment in which we focused on Canadian-made products meant to enhance our outdoor living experiences.

First up was dermaglow, Ontario (official website)

 

Then Terrassa, Ontario (official website)

 

Next was Rallye Footwear, Quebec (official website)

 

Last but not least Kisko Products, Ontario (official website)

 

All of these companies graciously donated the products we featured for one lucky BT viewer to win... Lucky indeed! I must've left about $500 worth of goodies for the prize pack!

I kind of expected this to happen, because I also get nostalgic when I talk about Mr Freeze but I have to say that I was a bit surprised when upon taking the boxes out, while I was setting up, that the hosts and crew immediately started sharing their chilhood stories about where they would have some, how many they'd have, what their fav flavour was and most admitted to still having a few every summer, to this day... So how could I not leave behind some extras for them to enjoy this summer? Note: Thanks Debbie at Kisko for sending more than enough to go around!

Thank you to our awesome members who made sure they sent me all of the products I featured on time and for including a few extras! And thank you to my Winnipeg hosts... Always a pleasure.

Author: Melissa Thibodeau

The last time I was in Winnipeg was 16 years ago. I was backpacking alone across this great country of ours by train, stopping in Toronto, Niagara Falls, Sault Ste Marie, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Jasper, Kamloops and Vancouver, staying in youth hostels along the way. At the time (I was about to turn 19) this was something I felt I had to do before I started travelling to foreign countries. I only spent 3 days in Winnipeg but have great memories of this fun and historically rich city.

So obviously you could understand why I was excited to get a call from the producer at BT Winnipeg inviting Buy Canadian First to be on their show... and I'm thrilled to say that my second time out to Winnipeg was equally fun. I stayed at the Inn at the Forks. Primarily because of location as the CityTV studio is litterally around the corner from the hotel, but boy what a gorgeous boutique hotel!

Once there (at 7:00AM Wednesday morning), I was welcomed by the security guard and then the set director who gave me the 411 on how things were going to happen. He was really helpful and also very curious about what Buy Canadian First was about. As I crossed the set, while the BT crew was on a commercial break, Pay Chen, producer and co-host, recognized me. "Hi Melissa!" she yelled and waved. So nice... I set everything up for our first segment that I would be doing with Pay. Jon Ljungberg, her co-host, came by to chat with me and to talk about the wine we were going to feature (huge fan of Canadian wines)... The crew was also very inquisitive about the products and even gave me a few leads on Manitoban-made products they knew of (thanks guys!). I had a bit of time left to run through the layout with Pay and then we went live!   

Segment 1: Spring Cleaning for the Mind, Body & Soul. These are the companies we featured:

The Garlic Box, Ontario (official website)

Boy was being on /A\ Morning Ottawa ever fun! I really thought I was going to be more nervous but I wasn't. AND on top of it, Kurt Stoodly was such a sweetheart and he kept me laughing the entire time.

We did 2 fashion segments, almost back-to-back (ads and the weather in between). Here is the first part.

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES1gAzyW_4Q 350x260] 

As soon as we have the second half we will post it in our media section here.  

Segment 1

On Esther:

• Teal bamboo dress by Nicole Bridger, available through MyBump (not on their website yet - info[@]mybumpmaternity.com)
• Black Matte Obi Belt by Turbine
• Entourage Clutch Deluxe by Cha Cha Handbags
• Jewellery by Pushan Designs

 

On Carmen:

• Any Direct Flight top with black and white flowers (not on their website yet - 416.504.0017)
• Black Capri pants by Le Chateau
• Black Pattent Obi Belt by Turbine
• The Stella Leather Shopper by Cha Cha Handbags
• Jewellery by Pushan Designs

 

On Melanie:

• Dress with knot detailing by Véronique Miljkovitch
• Entourage Clutch with studs by Cha Cha Handbags
• Jewellery by Pushan Designs

 

On me:

• Knitt cardigan by Le Chateau
• Black Mod Circle (2 in 1 dress/skirt) by Turbine
• Jewellery by Pushan Designs

 

Segment 2

On Carmen:

• 50's inspired summer dress by Any Direct Flight (not on their website - 416.504.0017)
• Gracie shoulder bag by Cha Cha Handbags
• Jewellery by Elvira Jewellery (contact for retailer near you - 519.303.0098)

 

On Esther:

• Black Mod Circle (2 in 1 dress/skirt) by Turbine
• Grey cardigan by Véronique Miljkovitch
• Jewellery by Elvira Jewellery (contact for retailer near you - 519.303.0098)

 

On Melanie:

• Turbine periwinkle 2 in one top
• Le Chateau black stretch skirt
• Jewellery by Elvira Jewellery (contact for retailer near you - 519.303.0098)
• Michique Saffron Storm handbag

 

On me:

• Le Chateau, head-to-toe (cardi, tank and pants)
  
• Earrings and necklace by Opalescence Jewellery

 

And all our makeup was from Natural Beauty Cosmetics

Author: Melissa Thibodeau

I am pleased to introduce our readers to Buy Canadian First member AHF Home . AHF Home is Canada's premier manufacturer of bedding products including pillows, mattress pads, duvets, foam mattress pads, foam pillows and pillow protectors.

 

AHF Home was founded in 1977 and currently employs between 150 - 200 Canadians in their 210,000 square foot manufacturing facility located in Montreal, Quebec. It is an ISO 9001:2000 certified company which manufactures 92% of their finished products right here in Canada. Watch their Made in Canada video here.

Here is a fun tidbit about AHF Home: they manufacture almost 20,000 pillows a day in their plant in Montreal.  Wow....that is a whole lot of pillows...and only one of the products that they manufacture!

What does buying AHF Home products mean to Canadians?  To consumers, it is the pride of knowing you are supporting products made on our own soil from skilled employees in our own country.  For business and retail store owners it is also the pride of having Canadian-made products on their shelves. 

But there are more benefits to business by supporting AHF Home.  First is the cost factor.  Doing business here in Canada is cheaper than overseas business.  Buying products in Canadian dollars is cheaper than buying in US dollars.  Also, purchasers have the luxury of only purchasing what they need as opposed to minimum volumes that international companies enforce. These Canadian retailers then have to incur additional costs with storage of this inventory.  Transportation costs are also reduced as the product doesn't have to travel as far.  This reduces greenhouse gas emissions.  It is a win-win situation for everyone.

 Here are a few products from their line:

This mattress cover by Simmons Beautyrest is an AHF Home product.  It is made of cotton jacquard and polyester and looks very comfortable and luxurious.  It is machine washable and dryable which to me is very important.

 

Looking for a new pillow? This LaZboy Comfortloft Pillow might be just what you had in mind. 

 

Products by AHF Home can be found in many major retailers throughout Canada such as Sears, Walmart, Costco, HBC, etc.

Are you using a product by AHF Home? Maybe a pillow? Or a mattress cover or foam mattress pad? Why not comment here and let us know what you think about the product. We would love to hear from you!

 

Image source: BuyCanadianFirst.ca

For Shelley-Ann Brown , February 2010 will always be the month when her history changed forever! The young black woman from Pickering, Ontario, was part of the team that won an Olympic silver in the bobsledding event. She is one of the first Canadian black women to win a medal at the Winter Olympics.

“I’m so proud to be Canadian, so proud to be black, so proud to be of Jamaican heritage, so proud to be female,”  Brown said. "... To do this in Black History Month ... this is just incredible!"

Black Canadians: History, Experiences, Social Conditions , by Joseph Mensah

February is indeed Black History Month in Canada and the United States. Since February was the birth month of both abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the president who emancipated American slaves, Abraham Lincoln, it seemed an especially fitting month. Britain also has a Black History Month, but they celebrate it in October.

In 1926, historian Carter G. Woodson began Negro History Week, which was renamed Black History Week in the 1970s and then Black History Month in 1976. In Canada, Black History Month was officially recognized in 1995, by the House of Commons, when the first black female MP, Jean Augustine, introduced the motion to celebrate it. The motion was unanimously adopted.

While the Civil Rights movement in the States brought Black History Month to the forefront, Canadians are not quite as aware of it. This is changing though, due in part to the hard work and diligence of people such as Rosemary Sadlier. Sadlier is an author, the president of the Ontario Black History Society and was instrumental in establishing Black History Month in Canada. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario and has written a wonderful book called The Kids Book of Black Canadian History, which can be found at Buy Canadian First member, Chapters-Indigo .

 

 

 

Jackie Robinson, a biography by Arnold Rampersad.

There have been, and are, many fascinating black Canadians, including our current Governor-General, Michaelle Jean, famed jazz pianist Oscar Peterson and Jackie Robinson, to name only a few. Chapters-Indigo is a great place to find out more information about Black History Month and some fascinating reads about great Canadians!

Read any good books about Canada lately?

Image sources: ctvolympics.ca, Chapters.ca

 

I visit the Buy Canadian First website nearly every day. I come to read the blog posts, to write them and to see if any of mine have been published that day. I regularly scroll through our impressive and growing member list and think to myself, how can people still say nothing is made in Canada? Canada makes: cars, fine crystal, wine, musical instruments, sports equipment, vegetable and fruits including blackberries (both edible and technological), books, bags, boats, clothes, appliances, makeup, fireplaces, pots & pans, art, winter boots, diamonds and a whole lot more... even actual kitchen sinks. Maybe we have not been shouting loud enough from the rooftops. Maybe we need more people like you helping us spread the word!

Our mission is to showcase products that are made in Canada, and to tell consumers where they can buy them. Through our blog The Good Shopper Blog and various social media networks, we are building an online community of like-minded individuals who are together driving this grassroots movement across the country. Get involved!

Buying Canadian first keeps our economy strong, reduces our carbon footprints, ensures items made to legal standards and certify fair working environments. Learn about how buying Canadian benefits everyone here. We need to show all Canadians that it is easy to find Canadian-made products and that's where you come in. Whether you are on Twitter, Facebook, Piczo, Friendster or a blogger, tell everyone to buy Canadian first. Demand more made-in-Canada goods from your retailers.

We want you to join us on the rooftops and help us tell everyone about Buy Canadian First! Digg and Stumble our web pages as much as you want. We also want more manufacturers and retailers to become members so they too can be featured on this totally unique website. If your favourite Canadian-made item is not listed, send the manufacturer an email or let us know and we will contact them. It's so easy to spread the word, that Canada (still) makes a lot of stuff! If you are the silent type but still want to help then you can donate to the site and support us. Please visit our Get involved page for more ideas to promote the cause.

Each year, thousands of Canadians are touched by breast cancer. It not only impacts the individuals living with the disease, but their families, friends and loved ones as well.  

These words are quoted from the member profile of Buy Canadian First member Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. It is hard not to be affected by breast cancer in one way or another and even men are not immune to this.

What is Breast Cancer?
If cancer is first found in the breast it is called breast cancer. There are various types of breast cancer and the region runs from the breast to the collarbone and from the armpit to the breast bone.

Cancer is a disease that strikes at a cellular level. Our bodies are made of up of cells that each contain our DNA which stores genetic information and the function of the cell. The DNA usually controls the function, growth and reproduction of a cell unless it is changed. Then the cells begin to grow in an uncontrolled manner. This cell growth becomes a lump and has two outcomes: They are benign (non-cancerous) and not life threatening,  or they begin to invade neighboring healthy cells and are thus called malignant. This condition is cancer. The process known as metastasis is when cancerous cells break free and spread to other parts of the body creating new malignant cell growths.

 

Be Breast Aware
The breasts change through life and being breast aware means that you are aware of how your breasts normally look and feel. This way if something does seem different you will (hopefully) notice them early.  Keep in mind that a change to the breast does not mean breast cancer, it could be a benign condition the key is to know what to look for and to discover malignant growth early. All women  of any age need to be aware. Become Breast Aware with these 5 simple steps.

 

All the Ways to Help.
Donating to the Canadian Breast Cancer foundation can be done as a single, monthly or tribute donation online, by email,  over the phone, fax or post.You could give through a personal giving or get your company involved. You could also donate to one of the many run participants of the CIBC run for the cure.

Blog post written by: Kirsten Bartel

 

Are you a student? Have you ever thought of taking a volunteer vacation? This may be just what you are searching for!

Me to We is an organization which works with youth to help promote change by action. Schools can register their students, thus giving them the opportunity to help such organizations as Free the Children and travelling abroad to places like Kenya, Africa, to build schools, dig wells for fresh water, plant trees and more.

 

We Day was recently hosted in Vancouver on September 29, 2009, and now We Day Toronto has moved to the Air Canada Centre for Monday, October 5, 2009. Registration for tickets is closed, however, you can still catch a LIVE webcast on Monday, from 09:00 to 14:30 EST at ctv.ca/weday. We Day Hamilton will return to Hamilton Place, for the second year in a row, on November 5, 2009. This unique event is a celebration of the power to change the world, and is always attended by inspirational speakers and performers. At We Day Vancouver, His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke to the 16,000 students who filled GM Place. Every one of the attendees at a We Day event is committed to help make the world better.

If you are attending university and wondering what you should do during the next summer break, wonder no more. Me to We Trips will offer you something unique, something that will impact your life. You will be able to apply knowledge you have learned during your school year to real life applications.

 

 Embark on a trip to a place like Kenya, Africa, and:

• help build a school so children can have a place to learn
• work at providing clean, safe drinking water for the communities
• learn about the traditional culture of another land
• participate in hands-on workshops to learn about issues in Africa

That is only the beginning. While there, you also get to experience and be awed by the natural environment around you. Spend evenings under starry skies and days taking a safari to see the wildlife — lions, zebra, wildebeest — living on the vast savannah. This will definitely be a trip filled with memories which will last a lifetime.

 

If you plan to embark on such a volunteer vacation, you will need to bring quite a few items. You can purchase great and meaningful apparel directly from the Me to We Style online store where fifty percent of all the proceeds will go to the Free the Children organization (and you'll be happy to know that everything is made-in-Canada too).

 

And be sure to check out some of the items we have here through Buy Canadian First members.

• First of all, a strong backpack will come in handy to carry your personal items. Check out the medium backpack from Fort McPherson Tent & Canvas.
• You then have to consider that you will be working and walking a lot, thus a good pair of work gloves and well-fitting hiking boots are also a must.
• The sun is stronger in Africa, and many of the places to which you would travel, than it is here, so a supply of good Lip Balm will also be important. Try the Honey Trap Lip Balms by Lush. We also really like the idea behind their Charity Pot Body Lotion. Lush selects different non-profit organization and to which they donate all the proceeds of their sales to. Lush hand-makes their products in Ontario and British-Columbia to ensure quality, they source their ingredients ethically from around the world and they generously give proceeds to charities, so you can help a cause each time you buy their products.

• Since the work you will be doing will require that you can move freely and efficiently, you will need to have a good pair of pants, such as the Sport Fit Pant by Respecterre, which will allow you the flexibility you need.

• Lastly, organic cotton clothing, such as those made by Attraction in their facilities at Lac Drolet, Quebec, will help show your commitment to the environment and the betterment of the world, as well as, wearing something which will breathe while you work.

Go out and try something new, join the cause, learn while helping others and exploring the world and realize what impact you can have on those around you.

Image sources: Flickr Creative Commons Stevie Withers, Flickr Creative Commons Greg Westfall, BuyCanadianFirst.ca

What happens when you successfully complete an exam? Well usually it is said that you "passed with flying colors" and this company has passed over and over again in their 97 years of business! Flying Colours International was established as Scythes and Company Ltd. in 1910 but was rebranded as Flying Colours International in 2001. This move was to portray a more accurate vision of what the company was all about: Image and attention. Visually the name evokes images of colour and motion which is right on the mark when one thinks of a world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of flags, banners and custom graphic displays.

FCI is proud of their high quality products with a customer service to match, their attention to detail is without comparison and they are committed to deliver the RIGHT product at the RIGHT time for the Right price. Their corporate values can be spelled out in one word: Spirit.

S - - Service and Solutions
P - - Perseverance
I - - Integrity
R - - Respect
I - - Innovation
T - - Teamwork

Flying Colours International is Canada's largest flag manufacturer. In fact they are the supplier of choice for the Federal Government, some provincial governments and municipalities. FCI have also proudly supplied the United Nation, the Olympic games, and many other valued events and businesses.

Flying Colours International offers a wide selection of flags (from desktop flags to twenty foot flags) that include: Canada flags, provinces and territories flags, international flags, military flags, religious flags, code and signal flags and novelty flags. They also create street banners, signs, and custom pieces.

I called FCI to inquire about their custom flags. I noticed that client relationship was important by how I was treated on the phone. The gentleman on the line was friendly, approachable and happily answered all my questions. I discovered that for a reasonable price of about $100 -$200 you can create your own flag. Think of the possibilities! I could create a family flag and we could become an enclave, of course only figuratively as it is terribly silly and inconvenient to become a sovereign state. All joking aside, I truly enjoyed my conversation with FCI and felt at ease asking several questions. A family flag is not only a fabulous idea as well as a future treasured heirloom. For more flag information and proper flag etiquette) visit the flag flying facts page.

Today we are highlighting and celebrating another Buy Canadian First member and announcing our second giveaway (more on that at the end of this post).

.

Aroma Crystal Therapy was founded by Jane Janzen in 1989. This is when she opened a stand at the renowned Salt Spring Saturday farmer's market in Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. Using her knowledge of natural plant elements, tinctures and bio-electric technologies she was inspired to create alternative body care products. This was so her family could have access to safe and clean, natural products. Aroma Crystal Therapy is now well known in both Canada and the United States.

The goal of Aroma Crystal Therapy is to create balance and abundance by supporting health and well-being. This is done by using energetically enhanced aromatherapy products. They use only 100% pure essential oils, and the finest plant extracts. Their products are manufactured in Vancouver, B.C. under the strict guidelines of GMP and Health Canada. 

Here are a few of the wonderful products that Aroma Crystal Therapy has to offer.

Gardener's Dream Cream is a great product to use year round. Especially at this time of year, we are working outside and can end up with rough, dry and irritated skin. It is made with essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, rosemary, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary - each with its own health benefits. Oils such as shea butter, sunflower oil and grapeseed oil all benefit the skin as well.

Our lips can suffer and get neglected and chapped year round.  Aroma Crystal Therapy has Crystal Clear Lip Saver to help alleviate dry, chapped lips.

Mother's Day is fast approaching. How about giving mom an Aroma Crystal Therapy gift basket filled with luxurious products.

You can learn more by visiting Aroma Crystal Therapy's Member profile page here. Have you tried their products? If you have, leave us a comment here but don't forget to rate and review the products you have tried in the catalogue!

And now for the fun part! The Giveaway! The good people at Aroma Crystal Therapy have created a gift basket for us to give as a prize to one of our lucky readers!

The basket includes:

• A 6 oz. tube of Gardener's Dream Cream - The award-winning Gardener's Dream Cream is made from 100% natural ingredients and pure essential oils and combines the benefits of vibrational and aroma therapy.  It provides amazing moisturizing for all skin types and so much more. Customer's have used Gardener's Dream Cream for weird rashes, muscle & joint pain, edema, skin conditions and soothing massages.
• A jar of Ohm - Ohm is a naturally nourishing, rich facial moisturizer which protects the skin and promotes a youthful complexion. Ohm acts as an effective barrier against pollutants and toxins that dry and age skin. The fragrant formula promotes circulation and helps to smooth fine lines and wrinkles with the power of 100% pure essential oils and extracts.
• 5 sample packages of the Gardener's Dream Cream.

What do you have to do to be eligible? You must leave a comment below, answering the following question: "What kind of Canadian-made products do you purchase the most and why?" and we kindly ask that you do as many of the things that are listed on the Get Involved page as you can. We cannot stress enough that without the support of consumers like you and of manufacturers and retailers like our members, we would not and could not exist. Please spread the word: Buying Canadian-made is everyone's business!

We will announce the winner next Friday, May 15th 2009.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. 

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

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

Black history month is to celebrate the stories, experience, achievements and history of Black Canadians. This history is not only from the recent times but to prehistoric days that present us with artifacts dating as far back as 60,000 years ago, of course it is said Africa is the cradle for all humankind.

A brief history
Canada was not free of slavery, in fact in 1807 the Abolition of Slave Trade act was passed, it restricted the trade of slaves but did not free them or stop the practice of owning a slave, a small step but slavery was still prevalent for several more decades. In 1629 a young Madagascar child was brought to Canada and he was the first recorded slave, he was sold to a Québec resident, was educated and baptized Oliver LeJeune, he died a free man in 1654. July 9, 1793 the Act Against Slavery was set in motion. This new act would not free existing slaves but prevented the acquisition of new slaves and would free the children of female slaves at the age of 25. This act stood until 1833 when the British Empire abolished slavery in Canada. 1831 is when the phrase "underground railroad" is coined by a Kentucky slave owner when slave Tice Davids escapes to Ohio. The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses. It enabled Black Americans to escape to Free States, Canada, and on occasion, Mexico and overseas. It is said that anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000 slaves escaped enslavement with a majority to Canada.

Anderson Ruffin Abbott was the first black Canadian to be a licensed physician. Abbott was born in Toronto in 1837 to prominent business man Wilson Ruffin Abbott and Ellen (Toyer) Abbott. Wilson Abbott owned 48 properties mostly in Toronto by 1871 and he was active in politics. His father's wealth and success and Abbott's intellect allowed him the opportunity for an outstanding education in both public and private institutions and finally graduating from Toronto School of Medicine in 1857. Studying under another black physician for 4 years Abbott was then licensed to practice from the Medical Board of Upper Canada in 1861. Between June of 1863 and August 1865 Abbott served as a civilian surgeon under contract during the American civil war. Stationed in Washington D.C he first served at the Contraband Hospital and then Freedman Hospital. Abbott was popular in Washington Society; in fact he was one of the few who stood vigil over the dying President Abraham Lincoln in April 1865. Abbott received a number of commendations during this time and was also presented with a shawl Abraham Lincoln had worn to his first inauguration by Mary Todd Lincoln. He returned to Canada in 1866. Abbott was not only a physician but an author editor and more. Throughout the years Abbott often found success in all he did. In 1913, Anderson Ruffin Abbott died in the home of his son-in-law Frederick Langdon Hubbard, son of black municipal reformer William Peyton Hubbard. He was 76 years old. 

Last week, on February 19, 2009 our Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean greeted President Barack Obama, first African-American U.S president, to Canada, marking a milestone in black history. Truly a triumphant time to watch history unfold.

 To learn more about black history please visit Chapters.Indigo, a Buy Canadian First member, for these books:

 The Kids Book of Black Canadian History by Rosemary Sadlier

Black Canadians: History, Experiences, Social Conditions by Joseph Mensah

 

Photo credits: Buxtom Museum, Governor General site, Chapters.Indigo

Alix Alberta is located 68 km east of Red Deer, a small community with campgrounds, a beach, nine hole golf course all needed services and amenities and most importantly Carmel Soaps. Trish Bailey once lived as a busy homemaker and hobby soap maker but with encouragement from family and friends, Carmel Soaps was born five years ago.

View Carmel Soap's Buy Canadian First member profile page here.

Trish expanded her line soon after to include lip balms (now available 13 flavours) and some lotions always loving the process of creating her own bath and body line, something that has never faltered over the years.

When her son was an infant he was experiencing some skin problems, Trish began researching and created an all natural baby bottom balm and sweet baby oil. Wanting to use all natural products that were infant safe she used organic herbs, unrefined nourishing Shea butter and skin loving oils; avocado, organic olive oil and apricot kernel. Trish would give these amazing new products as gifts and soon after found herself getting orders for more and so added a baby line to her ever expanding product line. I am not surprised as I have both products and I can attest to how gentle and soothing they are for infant skin. My eldest daughter has dry skin and would often scratch herself raw. In the winter I avoid bathing her daily because of it, with Carmel Soaps Baby Oil it doesn't matter if she bathes everyday or every other day, if I apply the oil after each bath she has happy itch free skin.

Trish also has sensitive skin and would find herself with a rash along her hair line from the shampoo she used so she switched to organic products. Finding her skin feeling much better she then realized she hated throwing away all those bottles, what happened? Trish created a solid bar shampoo and conditioner. She chose to use sodium lauryl and laureth sulfates free biodegradable coconut based surfactants (cleansing agents) and because of the solid format there are no added preservatives. Her bars are sold in recyclable packaging made of recycled paper and a travel sized smaller bars sold in refillable tins. When I received my package I chose the rosemary mint shampoo and conditioner and I love it! The smell is energizing! The shampoo lathers and works through the hair easily, the conditioner is wonderful after my hair is soft, shiny and clean. I also use these bars on my 2 year old with wonderful results.

Trish tries to make the products as natural as possible. Her colorants for the soaps are iron oxides, clays, herbs, ultramarines and some micas, maximizing her color palate by combining them herself. Her soaps are scented with skin safe fragrance oils and therapeutic grade essential oils, some products like the Hemp Body Butter are only scented with pure essential oils. Carmel Soaps also offers unscented products for those who have sensitivities to even natural scents.

Carmel Soaps line includes; Goat Milk Soaps, solid bar shampoo and conditioner in large and travel sizes, Soaps, Baby Bottom Balm, Sweet Baby Oil, Calendula Balm, Cleansing Oil, Facial Serum, Hemp Balm, Lip Balm, Luxurious Goat Milk Lotion, Shower Candy (solid cocoa butter salt scrub), and Spring Flower Bath Bombs. Of course what bath wouldn't be complete without some candles? Carmel Soaps has beeswax candles as well as candle jars and tins in various scents.

I love making my own soaps. They are my favourite thing to make. I get great enjoyment out of designing a soap and having it turn out. Great smelling soap can also look good too. I consider it my art. But it's a consumable art. : ) so I get to keep making more. LOL, Lucky me!

 Blog post written by: Joseph Wilburn

 

I probably didn't have to tell you that, you already knew Canadians are a petty intelligent bunch. Now that I've paid you a compliment, I'm not actually talking about individual Canadians today, rather I'm talking about SMART Technologies located here in Calgary.

 

They've got some pretty cool high tech devices that some really "smart" people had to have spent long nights thinking about. Taking the office from low tech to high tech isn't easy especially when you're staff is busy and don't have time to train on new things.

What does SMART Technologies do?

They build unique visual tools for the education, business and government sectors.

 What does that mean?

It means they have taken your run-of-the mill visual devices and turned them into something really cool and useful.

One example of the revolutionary tools they have created is the SMART Board, an interactive whiteboard. This isn't your old whiteboard. Instead, the touch sensitive display allows you to control computer applications directly from the whiteboard, draw digital notes on it in "digital ink" and you can even save your work for later. No more having to erase your entire notes for the next group.

SMART Technologies has taken your old audio/visual tools and turned them on their heads. Many of their products are innovative and creative. You may not have thought about changing some of the old classroom and office standbys like the overhead projector, but they did.

Check out what I think must be the coolest solution they've designed, the SMART Table. They've created this video showing a prototype in action (you can watch it on YouTube here). The SMART table is an interactive table where students can actually solve problems in 3D action. It's way cool! I almost want to go back to school, so I can use this. It definitely beats the old pen, paper and workbooks.

SMART Technologies is definitely a Canadian leader in changing how the people see, hear and collaborate with one another.  Take a look at their full suite of products. They're sure to amaze you!

Photo by: Growl Roar, Flickr (Creative Commons)

Blog post written by: Sam Title

 

I have a confession to make. I have a very serious addiction. I happen to know that that many men like me (many I know personally) suffer from exactly the same affliction...though I've also known several of the female population to be sufferers as well.

There's no known cure; no 12-step program to wean you off; no celebrity doctors in fancy rehab institutes; and the so-called experts in the field only add fuel to the compulsive fire! We suffer deeply and endlessly. It won't go away. What's worse, it has no known name...so it's not like I can call it anything! "Sweetheart, time to leave Futureshop! My [insert affliction name here] is acting up again!"

My symptoms - heart palpitations, pupil dilation, cold and sweaty palms, uncontrollable shaking (sounds like Dr. Banner before a green tantrum!) - reared their ugly selves as recently as last night when my lovely wife and I went to see a movie on our weekly scheduled date night.

As we've all experienced these days with blockbuster movies in stadium-style theatres, the lights might go down at a particularly scheduled time, but the actual feature doesn't begin until you get through about 30 minutes of advertisements and coming attractions.

It was during those 30 minutes that my symptoms came through. In a Canada's very own tech guru (and "gameguy"), Marc Saltzman did a product review on several new GPS systems. My fave, if he's reading this, was the Mio "Knight Rider", complete with the voice of the original K.I.T.T. Finally! Something to go with my General Lee horn ringtone! Ok...maybe I have a few...issues.

Anyways, as I was watching Marc's palpitation-inducing segment, my wife's eyes rolling as they do when my symptoms come out (where's the sympathy?), my hip started buzzing...Ah HA! Eureka! My next BuyCanadianFirst blog post! Research In Motion - the Canadian inventors and manufacturers of the globally used and adored Blackberry.

It's a fantabulous device which has, in fact, given rise to an often belittled affliction of its own - "Blackberry thumb". I've had it. It's painful (stop laughing)...but it's such a good pain because I get it from playing with...I mean...using a really cool toy...er...piece of technology!

My pretty outdated model, the 7130e, was made in Canada. I know this because it's printed on the label under the battery. I'd love to check out THAT factory...I'd be as happy as Homer in a Duff Brewery! The company's website indicates that RIM has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific - but as far as manufacturing goes, other than Canada, some of the online forum chatter mentions devices with "Made in Mexico" or even "Made in Hungary". Where was yours made?

I'm waiting for my current three-year contract to end (four more months!), and for a new model (The Bold?) to make its way off the factory floor so that I can get heart palpitations and sore thumbs with Canadian pride! Who's with me?!

NEWSFLASH: This just in folks! The new Blackberry 9000 (a.k.a. The Bold) will be available through Rogers as of August 21st. If any of you early adopters grab one, please let us know what it's like. Pretty please!