Buy Canadian First - Your destination for good shopping

The holidays have come to an end, most of us have likely over-indulged in delicious holiday fare, and now it's time for those good old New Year's resolutions. I stopped making those many years ago, because I thought it was a bit ridiculous to come up with new resolutions only once a year. Instead, I give myself small goals throughout the year; that way I feel like I've accomplished so much more, rather than making a resolution at the beginning of the year and likely forgetting about it halfway through.

One of the things I do keep telling myself every year is that I really should go outside and play more in the snow. Seeing as winter is by far my least favorite season, I figure that if I go out and do fun winter activities, I won't find the season so long and dreary. We are very fortunate here in Montreal, as we have a lot of things going on in the city in the winter and many fun activities to do that are mere steps away from home. And if you're making those fitness resolutions, it can make keeping them somewhat easier.

One of Montreal's major attractions is Mount-Royal, or as the locals here call it "The Mountain". You can strap on your warmest La Canadienne boots, made in Canada of course, and take a nice, leisurely winter stroll to Beaver Lake, where you can do some ice skating, sledding or "crazy carpeting". The mountain is a great getaway, because as soon as you start walking up, you completely forget that you're in the middle of the city and it feels like you're hiking in a forest up North!

La CANADIENNE Annabella boots

If you're more of a city slicker like myself, there are many other fun things to do outdoors in the city in the winter that will entertain you and almost make you forget that it's cold outside. For the last few years, we've had a music festival here called Igloofest which usually runs for about 2 weeks (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) starting in mid January, at the Old Port of Montreal. It is basically a big music event with outdoor shows, DJ's, and dancing o' plenty. You'll really want to dress warmly for this one, sp take out all your best winter gear, fleece undergarments, your warmest Canada Goose coat and just dance the night away!

Women's Montebello Parka - Canada Goose

Another excellent way to have fun outdoors in the city is the Montreal High Lights Festival, which runs from February 21^st to March 3^rd this year, and has a ton of different activities to please everyone from the kids to the grandparents. It is one of the largest winter festivals in the world, combining both indoor and outdoor activities. It illuminates the city and is a pleasure for the eyes as well as the heart. When the sun goes down, brace yourself for a spectacular event filled with lights, fireworks, acrobats, digital projections and much more. The festival closes with a bang, with its ‘'All-Nighter'' celebrations where you can enjoy hundreds of free activities, shows both onscreen and onstage, all in the great outdoors.

So, as you can see, there is no shortage of fun to be had outside in Montreal in the winter; you just have to be prepared for the weather, which can be very unpredictable, and just go out there and enjoy everything winter has to offer.

What are YOU going to do outdoors this winter?

By Annie Curran

Of all you fellow Canadians, who can strum me a tune? Sadly, it is not in my abilities, in fact I have no musical bones in my body. My children may be the only ones that enjoy my singing, at least the youngest two; I am pretty certain the eldest lost the desire to listen to me years ago. But wait! We aren't here to talk about my paltry singing abilities; we are discussing Canadian-made guitars!

Let's go to Eastern Canada so that I can introduce you to Buy Canadian first member, Godin Guitars. Robert Godin founded Godin Guitars over twenty years ago in LaPatrie, Quebec, which is located two hundred kilometers East of Montreal. Robert still designs most of the guitars but the instruments are fabricated in several locations within a thousand kilometers of each other. Godin Guitars has several brands of Canadian-made electric and/or acoustic guitars. La Patrie, Seagull, Norman  as well as Simon & Patrick, are all brands of Godin Guitars that are made in LaPatrie, Quebec. Each of these brands, like the others, is focused on detail and quality. This can be seen in the details provided for the Simon and Patrick Elements collection or the Seagull story on how the guitars are crafted. Follow Godin Guitars on Facebook for updates and news. 

The Richmond brand of guitars  are made in Richmond, Quebec and are described as "sleek, sexy and full of sizzling tone and a whole lot of space age vibe, too"! You can see the specs here on the Richmond site. 

Art & Lutherie Guitars  are made with 95% Canadian wood that is found already fallen in the forests of Eastern Canada. Made with Wild Cherry, Silver Leaf Maple, as well as Spruce and Cedar and the utmost care and attention to details, this brand has several shapes and styles to suit any guitar enthusiast.

Now we will head West to Sparrow Guitars. While working in a furniture factory, founder Billy Bones made guitars. Once the factory closed, he spent a month learning how to make guitars one on one. Making guitars from scratch was possible but it made the guitars difficult to afford, so Billy Bones devised a way to keep the instruments affordable and the quality and craftsmanship above par. Sparrow Guitars have five models (Big Daddy, Primitive, Rat Rod , Twangmaster and Streetlight series ) and this is because quality trumps quantity. All Sparrow guitars are hand-painted, from pin stripes to flames, but of course they would be, because Sparrow Guitars are hand-painted rock n roll! Keep up with Billy and the happenings at Sparrow Guitars on Facebook.

Who knew that so many beautiful guitars are made right here in Canada?! Do you play the guitar? 

image credit: Buy Canadian First members Godin Guitars and Sparrow Guitars 

I am not sure about the rest of Canada,  but I do know that the sweltering heat of Manitoba has us craving delectable, cold treats. It doesn't take much to break a sweat over here right now. So what Canadian treats can we get our hands on to keep us cool as the mercury soars?

What happens when Buy Canadian First member Ninette, a Canadian stay-at-home mom of seven children, decides to make ice cream? She makes the most dreamed of flavours ever that are low calorie and low fat: Cinnamon Apple Pie, Gingerbread Crunch, Raspberry Truffle, Mocha Almond Fudge, Thyme Lemon Fusion and Basil Lemon. I can only imagine scoops on waffle cones or homemade granola sprinkled over the Cinnamon Apple Pie! What about a Thyme Lemon milkshake? Oh be still, my taste buds! Sadly, I am unable to get Ninette's scrumptious ice cream here in Manitoba. In fact, outside of Quebec and eastern Ontario, the rest of us Canucks are out of luck. Don't dismay! If you Like the Ninette's facebook page,  you can enter to win a five pack of ice cream, valid anywhere in North America!!! Wouldn't that be a wonderful delivery? In the meantime, if anyone driving from Quebec or eastern Ontario is driving west with a few blocks of ice and a cooler, message me; I want one of each Ninette's flavours!

I may be unable to get Ninette's ice cream right now but I can still find some yummy ice cream locally and drizzle (or drench it) in Buy Canadian First member Crofter's  Organic Jellies, Spreads and Conserves. Wild Blueberries, Apricot and Super Fruit spreads are among the delicious flavours. Crofter's is environmentally conscious, and their fruit is organic and not genetically altered. Their cane sugar is also organic and sourced from ethical and environmentally friendly sources. I am dying to try these spreads on my plain Greek yoghurt, over vanilla ice cream or even a dollop on my oatmeal (though that's not a cold treat). While I know that I can pick up these jars of fruit preserves at local organic food stores and regular grocers, I can also have Crofter's delivered to my son, in British Columbia, or myself in Manitoba, through Buy Canadian First member Well.ca ! Be sure to join their facebook page  for updates and events.

Buy Canadian First member Soyummi  has healthy and wholesome, naturally sweetened desserts to indulge in on a hot day or anytime. Soyummi not only makes my favourite, tapioca pudding, with real tapioca pearls, they also offer Cherry, Chocolate, Rice and a limited edition Lime pudding. It is wonderful that they also use organic ingredients that have not been genetically modified. In fact, Soyummi has a long list of ingredients that they do not use in their products. I look forward to tasting their tapioca as I am not keen on making it myself from scratch. I guess that the proof is in the pudding! Catch them on Facebook!

While you are surfing Facebook, have a cup of my favourite, cold chamomile tea with crushed mint and honey over a mountain of ice, and make sure to come and visit us on Buy Canadian First's facebook page. Be the first to know about our latest blog posts, contests and great Canadian-made items!!

What are your favourite cold summer desserts and drinks?

 Image credit: Buy Canadian First members Ninettes Ice Cream, Crofter's Organics, Soyummi 

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

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

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

First segment:

 Watch it here.

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

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

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

Second segment:

Watch it here. 

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

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

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

Back from another fun Made-in-Canada adventure on A Morning in Ottawa! As usual, my husband and I drive down from Montreal the night before and enjoy a nice relaxing evening in our nation's Capital. As we both have businesses and lead very busy lives, we welcome the time we get to spend together. This time around, we stayed at the Indigo Downtown Hotel on Metcalfe Avenue, within walking distance of the Parliament. I had never heard of it, but what a great place! A boutique hotel, very chic and simple all at once, beautiful design and great big rooms with great big beds! Next time you're in Ottawa on business or pleasure, do yourself a favour and check it out. You won't be disappointed!

So, off we went to the studio for 7h10. Just in time to set-up on the patio and ...action! Why does on-air time seem to pass so fast? I never understood that...Maybe it's because it's so much fun! Watch it here.

So today we featured gift ideas for Dad for Father's Day. Four companies and their products were featured:

Lawn care products made in Ontario by C-I-L & Wilson (Premier Tech):

Multi-bit screwdrivers made in B.C. by Picquic Tool Company:

Closson Chase wines from Ontario's Prince Edward County:

Cycling apparel made in Quebec by Louis Garneau:

What will you be giving your Dad on Father's Day? Any other suggestions of products made in Canada? How about something handmade? Please share them with us!

P.S. In case you're wondering, I am wearing a dress made in Toronto by Lundstrom. Love their designs; so classy & comfortable.

Images courtesy of Premier Tech, Picquic Tool Company, Closson Chase Winery and Louis Garneau

Great to be back in Ottawa! I love that city, especially now that my stepson and his family have moved there. We're always looking for an excuse to visit and hang out with Junior (baby Kevin, 14 months old and ADORABLE). Yes, I'm a Step-Grandma and loving it! But I digress...;-)

I had a blast on /A\ Morning, showing-off some great products made in Canada, as usual! Today's theme was Outdoor Living...and hoping for sunnier skies!

You can watch the video here.

Featured were:

Gardening tools and accessories made by Garant in Quebec. I was blown away to learn that this company has been manufacturing in Canada  for 116 years! That's amazing! We featured their Botanica line of tools designed for smaller spaces... or smaller hands! Love that lime green, don't you?

And what about that cute Tubby, to carry around the garden when you're weeding, raking, fertilizing, etc. Just hose it down when you're done! 

Solid maple baseball bats made by Sam Bat in Ottawa. This is a true success story. Not only does this company supply baseball bats to the MLB, but they also export to over a dozen countries where Baseball is king! Plus, Sam Bats are the official baseball bats of Australian Baseball!  Just fantastic! The bat featured this morning, the 2K1 (or 73) is the same model as the one used by Barry Bonds to break the record of most home runs in one season!

A summer classic: Mr. Freeze, made by Kisko in Ontario. Makers of everyone's favourite frozen treat since 1977, Kisko is forever etched in our childhood memories as the best way to cool down on a hot summer's day! New this year, 2 healthy additions to their product line: The Welch's frozen juice bars and the Kisko Plus which has added calcium and Vitamin D. The kiddies will never know something that tastes so good is also good for them!

And finally, the most gorgeous summer dress I have ever worn: a tie-front dress made by Lundstrom in Ontario. Part of their new Lundstrom Collection, it is a real pleasure to wear: beautiful fabric, great design and soooooo comfortable! Originally founded in 1974 by the award-winning designer Linda Lundstrom, the company operates a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Toronto. Check-out their latest collection here.

As always, the crew of /A\ Morning, headed by Producer Extraordinaire Ziyada Callender, do a great job of supporting their immediate community as well as embracing the greater Canadian picture. Koodos and thanks for a great time! See you next month for great Father's Day gift ideas...made in Canada!

What about you, are you getting ready for summer (or Spring at least) ?

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members Garant, Sam Bat, Kisko and Lundstrom.

Well, here we are at the end of our series on filling stockings with Canadian-made gifts on a budget by shopping at Dollarama. We have already filled the following stockings:
1) The kids
2) Mom
3) Dad
4) Pets

Today I thought it would be fun to think about all those students living away from home, or the young adults dreaming of moving out on their own in the New Year. So we made a stocking for the home!

Clockwise from top:

1) Cool Crisp fridge odor eliminator & produce crisper, made in Quebec by Karmin Industries: $ 2.00
2) Scotch-Brite scrubbing sponges (2), made in Ontario by 3M: $ 1.00
3) Felt floor protectors, made in Quebec by Dutex: $ 1.00
4) All-purpose scrubber, made in Canada: $ 0.50
5) Compostable kitchen organic bags, made in Quebec by Dorfin: $ 2.00
6) Wood-handle dish mop, made in Canada: $ 1.00
7) Hand sanitizer gel, made in Quebec by Delon Labs: $ 1.25

Total cost (before taxes): $ 8.75

As you can see, it is possible to buy Canadian on a budget. It just takes lots of label reading and a desire to make a difference. And remember, the job we are saving could be our own!

Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year 2011 from the entire team at Buy Canadian First!

Image courtesy of Isabelle Remy

Hello again and welcome to the fourth installment of our series on filling stockings with Canadian-made gifts on a budget. And what better place to shop than at the modern version of the 5 and dime: Dollarama!

On Monday we took care of the kids, on Tuesday it was Mom's turn, on Wednesday we shopped for Dad and today we are focusing on our beloved pets:

  
Clockwise from top:

1) PetStore small animal feed mix, made in Canada: $ 1.00
2) Suet for birds, made in Quebec by My Buddy: $ 1.00
3) Just For Me pepperoni dog treats, made in Quebec by Bio-Biscuit: $ 1.00
4) PetStore chicken dinner for cats, made in Canada: $ 1.00
5) Pedigree DentaStix for dogs, made in Ontario by Mars Canada: $ 2.00
6) REX dog treats (pigs ears), made in Quebec by Les Produits Bellerive: $ 1.00

Total cost (before taxes): $ 7.00

And of course a good belly scratch is free and will go a long way to make your furry friends feel Merry & Bright!

Stay tuned for the last installment tomorrow!

Image courtesy of Isabelle Remy

Ok, so here we are with the 3rd installment of our series on stocking stuffers made in Canada ….from Dollarama! Yes, cheap AND Canadian!

Yesterday we filled Mom’s stocking, and the day before it was the kids.

Now, it’s Dad’s time!

Clockwise from top:

1) Super Max shaving cream, made in Canada: $ 1.25

2) Endure Max body wash, made in Ontario by Todays Concepts: $ 1.00

3) Percara Full Force deodorant, made in Ontario by Percara: $ 1.00

4) Fire starter, made in Quebec by Concept Inferno: $ 1.00

5) Duramax duct tape, made in Canada: $ 1.00

6) Felt insoles, made in Canada: $ 1.00

Total cost: $ 6.25

I know, I know, not very exciting. But Dads are hard to buy for, no? I think a nice hug and some quality time spent with Dad will round up this gift very nicely.

All right, tomorrow we will take care of those wonderful animals that brighten our days!

Image courtesy of Isabelle Remy