Buy Canadian First - Your destination for good shopping

The word knitting is derived from knot, which is thought to originate from the Dutch verb knutten, similar to the Old English verb cnyttan, to knot. Once an essential means of protecting ourselves from the elements, today, knitting is a skilled craft and hobby producing beautiful pieces that still keep us cozy. I love to knit but time is often my foe. To become more skilled in the craft, my goal is to make some time and learn to knit mittens and striped socks, which I adore! I am hopeful that by next winter my fingers and toes will be warm as will all my poppets.

 

Knitting is hip! In my opinion it always has been, but now, knitting is over the top. This is especially seen with sites like Ravelry (A place for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, weavers and dyers to keep track of their yarn, tools, project and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration), knitting circles and guilds all across Canada and all the fabulous Canadian knitters who blog about their craft, such as Hook and Needle with great tutorials and Knitty blog with knitting news (including a piece about a Toronto school art teacher who started a knitting club that inspired both boys and girls to participate), contests and more.

 As a shopper, I find that I am a bit of a tightwad and most of my knitting supplies are found at second hand stores and yard sales. It is truly a joy to chat with seasoned crafters who have tips and stories but who's hands can no longer craft. For me, it is the best way to collect my knitting needles. Sometimes my pocket book widens when it comes to the wonderful world of yarn and ohh, there are beautiful yarns available in Canada! The retail stores Patons and Bernat have several Made in Canada selections. I adore shopping online for yarn, too, as the possibilities are endless; alpaca, merino, wool, angora and mohair, bulky and fine and, of course, any colour of the rainbow. The Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Limited has a great shop with yarn, supplies, and books as well as this chunky yarn I've been coveting for a while. Sadly after 12 years, Four Seasons Knitting Products is closing it's virtual doors and tempting me with a plethora of discounts.

I know that it'll take years before my socks and mittens are well made enough to be given as gifts, let alone worn, in fact a little, wee voice mocks me about the time needed to hone my skills. Time is a rare commodity in my life so back to scarves and big fluffy wash cloths in those rare sitting moments. Fortunately all is not lost.  Buy Canadian First member Les Bas de Julie can help with her beautiful wool socks, another item on my wish list.  One of these days I am headed to the city to where the wool things are and join my friend Andee for a little knitting. Who knows, I may learn how to knit a mitten yet!

 

I would love to know if  you knit, crochet or spin? What are your favourite materials, current projects and knitty hang outs? 

 

 

photo sources: Flickr- Sunny Buick, Canadian co-operative wool growers ltd, flickr- 111emergency, BCF mamber Les Bas de Julie

This September, I am taking part, proudly, in Culture Days! Under a tent on one of our main streets, yours truly will be showing anyone and everyone the pleasures of crafting with recyclables! The street will be closed off and there will be a touch of Mardi Gras in the air!

If you haven't heard of Culture Days yet, don't be surprised. It's new! Modeled on Quebec’s 13-year old annual Journées de la culture event, Culture Days have become, in 2010, a "collaborative pan-Canadian volunteer movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities".

This Fall, Culture Days will feature thousands of free, hands-on activities  ... across Canada!  Everything from painting, puppet making, trash to treasure crafts and dance performances to museum display set-up and architectural tours of the neighbourhood, will be on hand to try. These activities will encourage the public to participate "behind the scenes" & discover who the artists are in their local communities and what they really do. 

Culture Days is a collaborative movement that relies on you and me. You can take part as a citizen, as a business person, as a cultural professional, on behalf of an organization, or in any other way you can imagine! You don't have to be an artist! Visit the Culture Days website to find out what is happening in your area and how you can be involved. For a start, you can print off posters and pictures for your website. Then invite your friends, family and colleagues to join in the fun! Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter!

This unique celebration takes place September 24 to 26 in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec (under the existing event Journées de la culture), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador; and September 17 to 19 in Alberta (under the existing event Alberta Arts Days). Dates for Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon will be announced shortly.

Culture Days are coming! Spread the word! What would you like to experience during Culture Days in your neck of the woods?

image courtesy of www.CultureDays.ca

My husband and I are very fortunate to be able to eat just about whatever we want to ....and that's just it! We ARE lucky, because 1 out of 133 Canadians, including several people I know, have Celiac Disease, a condition that prevents them from eating gluten, a very common ingredient in many, many foods.

Gluten is an ingredient in flour that helps baked goods keep their shape. This is why gluten is found in so many processed and packaged foods. Foods such as barley, breading, Communion wafers, hydrolyzed wheat protein, modified wheat starch, oatmeal, oat bran, oat flour, whole oats, wheat flour, wheat germ, and wheat starch, must be avoided, and food labels diligently studied for 'hidden' sources of gluten. You really have to look because even freezies can have gluten in them! Thank goodness for nut free, dairy free, gluten free and kosher Freezies from Ontario-based Kisko Products !

Eating a gluten-free diet is a life long commitment! For the sake of my friends with this intolerance, it's good to know that companies like El Peto Products are dedicated t0 making and distributing lots of different types of delicious, gluten free foods. Known as "The Gluten Free Experts", El Peto has been in business since 1988 and all of their fresh products are made in Cambridge, Ontario.

But, oh oh! Gluten isn't just in food! It can also be found in things like lipstick,  skin cream, shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste! Who knew? Well, companies such as Natural Beauty knew, a mom & baby store, owned and operated by Shelli Chastkavich, a Canadian mom in B.C. Natural Beauty carries everything from mineral cosmetics to cloth diapers and everything is  "free".

Vidoma Naturals  is another Canadian company that makes gluten-free skin and body care products. As a matter of fact, 99% of their products can be used by Vegans! They were ahead of their time when Marilyn Haggerty, an Aromatherapist and Dorothy Turner, a Chartered Herbalist, started their company in 2003 and continue to be so today.

 

On Facebook, some of my friends are actively discussing changing over to gluten- and wheat-free diets... and they don't have Celiac Disease or food allergies. They are just very concerned about the long term effects of the contents of the products that they are eating and using. With this in mind, they are turning to people like Maggie of Peterborough, Ontario, whose gluten-free blog, She Let Them Eat Cake,  both informs and entices!

What about you? With "free" products becoming more varied, competitively priced and available, would you consider going gluten-free, even if you don't have allergies or Celiac Disease?


Image source: BuyCanadianFirst.ca

Welcome Yummy Mummy Club members! We're so excited to have you with us because by being here, you're also telling us that buying Canadian is important to you too! That means a lot to us.

This month, the Yummy Mummy Club and Buy Canadian First are giving away a $1,000 shopping spree to one very lucky mummy. Read the full contest details here.

 

If you're here for a clue to complete your YummyMummyClub.ca contest registration, read on, there's tons to use! 

As consumers, we've become addicted to low-cost products made abroad and sometimes get hooked into accumulating quantity over quality but in the last couple of years we have seen an emerging lifestyle shift among hundreds of thousands of Canadians who are taking buying Canadian to heart. Their reasons for doing so can be as personal as seeing a relative lose their manufacturing job, to wanting to decrease their carbon footprints by buying locally-made and locally-grown products.

The question is, which is most important to you and how far will you go to support Canada? Here are the 6 most common reasons for buying Canadian.

1. The economy

When we buy Canadian, we directly impact our economy in positive ways. Every dollar we spend in Canada has a ripple effect that far exceeds that of simple profits made by the businesses who take our money in exchange for goods or services. Regardless what sectors and industries we work in, we are all part of this cycle. We are securing jobs, helping to create new ones and let's not forget, when Canadian businesses are successful, they are in a position to give back to the communities they serve by supporting local charities, cultural associations, etc. Successfully employed Canadians and successful businesses also mean larger tax revenues towards government programs.

2. Health & safety

When we buy Canadian, we know that the products have met this country’s health & safety standards. The manufacturing industry in Canada is highly regulated, from the factories’ environmental emissions, to the quality assurance practices, to the materials used and beyond. These safety measures sometimes mean an increase in the retail price, but all things considered, isn’t it a small price to pay for peace of mind?

 

3. The environment

When we buy Canadian, we are reducing our carbon footprint, as products made closer to home require much less transportation. For example, did you know that a piece of clothing designed, manufactured and sold in Montreal requires 25 times less transportation than a similar product made in the far East?  

4. Labour standards

When we buy Canadian, we know that the people who make and sell the products are treated fairly, work in safe & sanitary conditions and often under the watchful eye of unions. We’ve all heard horror stories of sweatshops in foreign countries using children and adults as disposable labour. Thankfully, stories like that don't happen in Canada. 

5. Community

When we buy Canadian, we are contributing to the enrichment of our communities. It systematically makes us a part of something greater than ourselves and our immediate (material) needs. That one purchase we just made may contribute to the survival of a struggling local family business. Furthermore, as the gap that once existed between the consumer, the manufacturer and the retailer continues to decrease (thanks in large part to direct lines of communication that the Internet afords us), never before have consumers been able to give feedback in real time and develop and never-seen-before dialogue with these companies.

6. Patriotism

Historically, Canadian's have always been quietly patriotic. If there's one thing the world noticed during the Vancouver Olympics is that we're a proud bunch and perhaps now (post-record-breaking-Olympics) we won't be so quiet anymore. Love of Country shouldn't stop at flying a flag or wearing red (or growing a beard ;) We have every reason to be proud of our country, including the wonderful products we make here. Some consumers buy Canadian over foreign-made as a matter of principle alone. We see a "Made in Canada" label as a badge of honour. One we're proud to contribute to and want others to know about.  

The idea is not to buy Canadian only (it's impossible to do so anyway), but to consider Canadian-made products, over foreign-made ones first and buy these as often as we can.

So, why do you buy Canadian-made products?

Leave your answer on the contest form for your chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree on BuyCanadianFirst.ca (you may leave a comment here, but it does not count towards your entry into the contest) Good luck!
   

Image source: Dom Sports, Warm Buddy, P'tit Coulou, Natural Beauty Canada

 

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.

What if there was a way to improve your concentration, learning ability and help you maintain a healthy weight? What if this could also help your kids get better grades and improve their behavior?

Would you take 10 minutes (or less) everyday and give it a try? It is a simple thing: just eat a healthy breakfast.

 

A recent study on Breakfast for Learning shows that 31% of all elementary school children and 62% of secondary school children do not eat a healthy breakfast. This is dreadful. A skipped breakfast means that a child will not eat until lunch time, leaving anywhere between 12-16 hours from their last meal! Food is the body and brain's source of nutrition and energy, not eating breakfast is akin to dragging your car to work, this is why breakfast is the most important meal of the day. 

 

Breakfast for Learning is the leading, national non-profit organization solely dedicated to child nutrition programs in Canada.

They provide:

• Nutrition grants to obtain food
• Staff and equipment to meet the need of the school community
• Child nutrition education resources
• Research information to support the link between child nutrition and learning
• and a voice that advocates a national meal program in Canada. 

Breakfast for Learning funded over 3,000 meal programs in the 2007/08 school-year serving over 56 million breakfasts, snacks and lunches to more than 360,000 students! That is truly amazing and still it doesn't meet the national needs, as they were only able to grant 27% of all fund requests last year. 

There are several reasons why children go hungry in the morning; 1 in 9 children live below the poverty line, long commutes, unsupervised meal time and busy morning routines leave children hungry. This in conjunction with the alarming rate of children who are obese and being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as well as other health issues it is very important to educate children and their families about proper nutrition.  Please take a few moments and visit the website, they have a brilliant resource page and if you are able to donate, it is certainly an investment in all of our future. Especially the little people in our lives.

A good rule of thumb for a balanced healthy breakfast is to use at least 3 of the 4 food groups. Here is a handy recipe and breakfast idea list that may require some weekend prep but make for quick and easy and healthy breakfasts.

 

• Protein bars (Road Grill Food Network Canada) serve with either a glass of milk or juice.
• Vanilla yogurt topped with berries and granola
• Cheesy scrambled eggs stuffed in a pita with a glass of juice
• Banana and Date Flaxseed Bread (recipeshare.ca) with peanut butter and apple slices.
• Hot oatmeal with blueberries and milk
• A slice of leftover homemade pizza

Take the time for some breakfast. The short term and long term benefits are so worth the few minutes spent every day to prepare them.

This is the third and last installment of my conversation with Jeff Rubin, author of the Canadian best-seller "Why your world is about to get a whole lot smaller: oil and the end of globalization".  

 

Congratulations to Randy Berg who has won the second of three autographed copies of Jeff's book. Read Part 2 of this series and his comment here. Dont forget to read Part 1 if you haven't. You too win a copy! All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on this post, sharing your thoughts about this issue: If you are concerned or encouraged, agree or disagree, etc. We will then randomly select a winner and send the copy. The deadline for Part 3 (this post) is next Sunday, August 30th). Hurry up though: This is the last one we are giving away!

Isabelle: It's a pretty amazing concept and it's something I hope our politicians have the guts to handle.

Jeff: Don't worry about the politicians. When oil is $ 7.00 a gallon at the pump, people will know exactly what to do. They will send the right message to the politicians. For example, I don't know why we're spending billions of dollars to pro-up the auto-industry that's due to obsolescence by triple-digit oil prices. We should be investing billions in public transit instead of putting more cars on roads.

Isabelle: If Europe can do it, we can do it, right?

Jeff: Exactly. But here's the difference. In Europe, they've already been paying those prices for the last 10 years. When we start paying those prices, we'll become European. It's all about price. When gas is $ 7.00 a gallon, people won't have to buy my book. They'll know exactly what to do.

Isabelle: Can you tell me more about the concept of Carbon tariff on imports?

Jeff: I'm just saying this: if we're going to close coal plants and pay 3 times as much for our electricity...Now I know in Montreal you're blessed with hydro-electric power but that's not the way it is for most people in North-America outside of Quebec and Manitoba who have hydro-electric. It's coal plant or gas. California doesn't allow coal plants, so their power prices are 3 times as much as Texas. But if we are going to, all of a sudden, shut coal plants around North-America and pay 3 times as much for our electricity and then find out that China is building 800 coal plants, that does not make a whole lot of sense. So what I'm saying is we can't stop China from building coal plants, but what we can do is say : "if your steel factory gets its power from coal, from dirty power, we're going to charge you a tariff so that you pay the same price for your carbon emissions as our steel producers pay for their carbon emissions. In other words, you don't gain any economic advantage by using dirty power.

Isabelle: And what are the chances that someone will stand up to China and say that?

Jeff: The chances are excellent once we start paying 3 times more for our own power to close a coal plant. Because there's no point us making economic sacrifices for the environment if they're just going to be building coal plants like mad. Again, we can't tell them what to do, but what we can do is make sure they gain no economic advantage when they trade with us by using dirty power.

Isabelle: That would certainly fix 2 problems at once: the environmental one and the unfair trade that's going on.

Jeff: Exactly. And I think that's coming. There are some big changes and some big challenges but you know, it's not all doom and gloom. At as I say at the end of the book, in many respects, the new small world around the corner may be a whole lot more livable than the big one we're about to leave behind.

Isabelle: As a parent, I must tell you that I hope you are right. And in the meantime, I'm getting myself a ZENN Car!

Jeff: Now that makes sense! That's why I say: the key is not about the Bank of Canada, the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister of Canada or the Premier of Quebec. It's not about those guys. It's about you and me and the decisions we make everyday in our lives.

Isabelle: And I think that's the most uplifting message of your entire book. Thank you very much for writing it, and thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it

Jeff: Thank you and best of luck with your website!

Tell us what you think about Jeff's theory by next Sunday, August 30th. We will then randomly select a FINAL winner who will receive an autographed copy of  "Why your world is about to get a whole lot smaller."

Image source: China Digital Times

This is the second installment of my conversation with Jeff Rubin, author of the Canadian best-seller "Why your world is about to get a whole lot smaller: oil and the end of globalization". 

 

Congratulations to Kristy Smith who has won the first of three autographed copies of Jeff's book. Read Part 1 of this series and her comment here. You can win a copy too! All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on this post, sharing your thoughts about this issue: If you are concerned or encouraged, agree or disagree, etc. We will then randomly select a winner and send the copy. The deadline for Part 2 (this post) is next Sunday, August 23rd).

  

Isabelle: Do you think that such a rapid change will cause civil unrest?

Jeff: Whether is causes civil unrest or doesn't, we will have to change nevertheless. I'm quite confident that people will change. I believe that people will respond to prices. We're going to have to change our diets. We're not going to be able to eat avocadoes in February in Toronto because the cost of flying them in from Southern California or Mexico is going to make that avocado too expensive. But we'll end up eating more local produce and that means that we'll have to restore land back to farm land.

Isabelle: It also means that in Canada we're going to be eating a lot of potatoes!

Jeff: We'll eat potatoes, we'll eat corn. I'll tell you something, when I was a kid growing up in the sixties in Toronto, there were no fresh blueberries and raspberries in January, there were no avocadoes and I survived. I'm sure others will too. People will change their minds because at the end of the day, people will have no choice.

There are people who believe that we should go back to local because it cuts down on the carbon trail, and there are people who believe that we should go back to local because it will put us more in touch with our environment, and that's all fine. But I'm saying, even if you don't believe that, you're still going back to local because the whole model of a global economy doesn't work on triple-digit oil prices.

Isabelle: This is the best news I've heard in many, many months. Because what we do here at Buy Canadian First is help Canadians find goods made in Canada.

Jeff: Well, this is right up your alley because you're going to find more and more made in Canada. Of course, this is every bit as true in China as it is in Canada. Distance costs money for everybody. But in the Canadian economy that I see in the future, more and more things we consume will be made in this country.

Isabelle: That is certainly welcome news for a lot of our manufacturing members here who are struggling!

 Jeff: I think the big surprise will be that triple-digit oil prices are going to breathe new life into our rust belt. And it's going to lead to more farms, as well.

Isabelle: That's an interesting subject, because suburbia is replacing farmland almost overnight in many parts of the country. That's certainly the case here in Montreal.

Jeff: Those houses will be abandoned. And what we'll see is farm land re-claim those sub-divisions. And not in 20 years. In 4 to 5 years. In 4 to 5 years, you're going to see land starting to be reconverted back to agricultural use. And that will be as a result of soaring food prices and plunging suburban real-estate prices.

Stay tuned for more good news for Canadian manufacturers in Part 3!

In the meantime, tell us what you think about Jeff's theory by next Sunday, August 23rd. We will then randomly select a winner who will receive an autographed copy of  "Why your world is about to get a whole lot smaller."

Image source: Flickr Creative Commons: Dan Zen

So where are you going this summer? Do you have a destination or are you going to see where your spirit guides you? Regardless if you are going far or near a road trip is an original favourite for the summer vacation, it a thrill to just to head out on the highway! Let's assume that you have already taken your car in for a full check up; fluid top up, tire inspection, filters cleaned, hoses and belts checked as well as a spare tire and the knowledge to change it. This is usually done during your annual car tune up but if you have any questions call your mechanic. Once your transportation is purring like a kitten, it's time to pack the rest of the car.

Here are some road-trip essentials to bring along:

Sunscreen - The windows of your car will not protect you from the sun this includs your lips. Try the Livacious Lip Balms, by Glengarry Gardens the ingredient Sea Buckthorn has shown to be a natural sunscreen. Keep your lips safe and smoochy soft. 

Journal - A picture says 1,000 words but sometimes a few hilarious words are all that's needed. Along with snapping photographs keep a travel log to collect postcards, ticket stubs, pressed flowers and fun stories of your journey. Ecojot manufactures a varied selection of books and other paper products made entirely on 100% post consumer waste and vegetable based inks.

Food and Drinks - Eating truck stop and fast foods can not only get expensive but turn your belly too. To keep your moods, health and bellies happy stock up on water and snacks. Try Jakeman's Maple Almonds, bake some of Melissa's banana, cranberry, chocolate chip muffins or while on your journey, stop at local farmers markets (check-out our buy-local series of posts) to stock up on fresh fruits, vegetables and snacks.

Boredom busters - Long journeys can be a little dull while stuck in the car, so be sure to stock up on some mags by looking for the Genuine Canadian Magazine logo from member Magazine Canada.

Canadian books and music from Chapters Indigo. We love the audiobooks for driving at night on the highway. Here is my all canadian playlist for you, I want to know what you would add to it! 

                                  

1. The Poppy Family - Which Way you Going Billy
2. Rufus Wainwright- Across the Universe
3. 5440 - Ocean Pearl
4. Feist - Sealion
5. Simple Plan - When I'm Gone
6. Spirit of the West - If Venice is Sinking
7. Crystal Castles - Crimewave
8. Great Lake Swimmers - Your Rocky Spine
9. Tegan and Sara - Walking with a Ghost
10. Blue Rodeo - Lost Together
11. Big Sugar - Turn the Lights On
12. Lost Fingers -You Shook me all Night Long
13. Corb Lund - Time to Switch to Whiskey

Your road trip is all about fun but we cannot dismiss the value of safety and being prepared. Please ensure you have a first aid kit, GPS system or current maps and someone to check-in with whether they are at home or your destination. Be realistic about how long it will take you to reach your destination and allow for times to stretch and sleep and, of course, always buckle up.

Happy road tripping everyone! Be sure to leave us a comment about your road trip destinations and the songs on your playlists!

Our very own Isabelle Remy will be on TV Monday June 29th and then on Tuesday, June 30th. We really could not have wished for better timing, with Canada Day 'n all. We are jumping for joy over here.

Isabelle's first stop is at the ATV studios in Ottawa for a sit down on the 'A' Morning show around 6:50 am ET. Unfortunately, unless you live in Ottawa or have satellite TV, you won't be able to see it (I wish we could here in Dorval because I really like Bill Welychka. I remember him well from the old Much Music gang, circa 1995). We will try to get a digital copy of the interview for a follow-up post.

Her second stop is at Canada AM in Toronto, Tuesday morning to record a segment that will air during the Thursday July 2nd show (between 6:00 am and 9:00 am ET. This appearance will be a dream come true for Isabelle. I share an office with her and on her bulletin board is a picture of Seamus O'Regan (David Suzuki is on mine). Isabelle is a huge fan of the show and watches it pretty much every morning before coming to work. What she likes so much about Seamus is how proud he is to be Canadian and how he takes a special interest in Canadian companies and products. As soon as we started this business, she declared that one day she would be on Canada AM, hopefully being interviewed by Seamus. Well my dear, that day has come... I'm so proud of her for having stuck to her goal and to never have given up (she must have written to them a half-dozen times).

Isabelle and our office mascot - named Seamus.

We hope that you will tune in and watch (or set your PVRs). Those who do will see Isabelle ahowcasing Canadian-made products that will be up for grabs in our biggest giveaway yet. Hint hint (you should really watch if you want to know what the dealio is ;-) 

These appearances will be a turning point for Buy Canadian First. I can feel it!

Image sources: 'A' Morning Ottawa, Canada AM, John Kenney - The Montreal Gazette

Author: Melissa Thibodeau