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Wellness and sleep are closely related. How have you been sleeping lately? Since you spend about one third of your life in bed, it's well worth considering what kind of mattress you (and your kids) sleep on every night. 

A good sleep is everyone's wish, but what about the stuff you breathe in all night? Did you know that most mattresses are made with toxic foams, glues and chemically treated fabrics that emit harmful VOCs? Not to mention that they are a breeding ground for dust mites and other allergens. That’s enough to keep you up at night, right?

We did a little digging and found a healthy, Canadian-made alternative: natural memory foam mattresses made in Montreal by Essentia. Using all-natural ingredients, Essentia has created the World's ONLY natural memory foam, which they use in their collection of mattresses and pillows.

Naturally dust mite and bed bug resistant, this hypoallergenic foam is made from the sap of the rubber tree, organic essential oils, natural plant extracts, and water. Unlike all other memory foams on the market (which are made with petrochemicals!), Essentia mattresses and pillows are breathable and will not leave you hot and sticky. And as far as comfort goes, experts agree that memory foam is best, as it contours the body and provides excellent custom-made support for a restful sleep.

Essentia has been featured on Dr. OZ, Anderson Live, Rachael Ray and the Dragon's Den.

You're probably wondering if you can afford an Essentia mattress. Well, we’ve got excellent news for you! The answer is YES!

We have partnered with Essentia to offer you their biggest sale this year, exclusive to Buy Canadian First readers like you: get 20% back in Essentia products with every mattress purchased.

This exclusive offer is available online, or in any of their retail locations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Ottawa. Just mention the promo code: Buy Canadian First

Choose among a wide selection of mattresses for the entire family, including your pooch! Add pillows, organic cotton sheets, mattress covers, etc. You will be well on your way to a healthy & restful sleep, made in Canada.

Good night...zzz

We're off to Toronto for another visit with Canada AM! Although I visit with them every morning through the magic of television (and now Twitter!), it’s always so awesome to be right there on-set!

In honour of Mother Earth, we are featuring some great Canadian-made products which are good for the environment. That’s a double-bonus in my books!

You can watch the segment here, and here’s a recap of what we were showing today:

Canned tuna & salmon from Raincoast Trading in B.C. A fourth-generation family-owned fishing business dedicated to sustainability in all they do: from fishing to processing and packaging. Truly outstanding products and company.

Environmentally-responsible gardening products from Green Earth (Premier Tech) in Ontario. Safe to use, they are formulated with ingredients derived from botanical, mineral and animal source. So now you can have a beautiful and healthy garden!

Natural laundry care & house hold cleaners from NatureClean in Ontario. A third-generation family business dedicated to healthier living every day. Sporting a new look this Spring, their products are good for people and for the planet!

Natural body care is what The Great Canadian Soap Company from PEI is all about. This unique company is farm-based and raises its own goats to supply the pure and natural goats milk which goes in many of their products. They welcome visitors, and that's a place I can't wait to go! Watch this video and you"ll understand why!  

And last but definitely not least: children’s playhouse and car made of recycled material from Cascades Boutique in Quebec. These adorable items are part of a larger line of fun cardboard playthings for kids but also for pets! And of course, they are fully recyclable!

Oh, and in case you’re curious, I’m wearing Lundstrom made in Toronto!

Thanks again to the entire Canada AM team, as well as to fellow-Montreal Todd Van Der Heyden! 

P.S. If you have not yet entered our Earth Day giveaway, hurry! Entries are accepted until Friday April 20th at 5:00 PM ET. Up for grabs is a gift pack full of Canadian-made eco-friendly products with a total value of over $550! The contest is here.

Good luck!

Images courtesy of CTV and Buy Canadian First members

Each year, in Canada and around the world, April 22nd is dedicated to honouring our planet and focussing on ways we can lessen our environmental impact.

I’ve never considered myself a tree-hugger, in any sense of the word. But we do recycle (at home and at the office) and use our city’s composting program. We also have a small (organic) vegetable patch in the backyard where we grow mainly tomatoes and fresh basil (yum!). But as I was preparing to write this post, I’ve been thinking that maybe I am kinder to Mother Earth that I originally thought...How, you ask? By buying Canadian!

1)    Every time I purchase a product made in Canada, I do my part to lower my carbon footprint. 9 times out of 10, a product made here will travel a much shorter distance to reach me than one made overseas. Less pollution is created by using less fossil fuel to bring the product to market.

2)    I know that Canadian manufacturing facilities are highly regulated in terms of allowable emissions and waste management. Not so in many other countries.

3)    A product made in Canada will not contain harmful components such as BPA, lead, melamine, etc. It keeps me, my family and my environment safe!

So buying Canadian is good for the environment! That calls for a celebration, no? Absolutely! Join us in celebrating Earth Day and you could win an awesome prize pack chock-full of healthy & eco-friendly products made in Canada! Included are:

1)    Natural memory foam Comfort Pillow made in Quebec, from Essentia. (value: $129)

2)    Organic wild rice products from Manitoba (rice, rice flour, rice flour linguine), from Naosap Harvest (value: $ 24.50)

 

3)    Natural liquid laundry detergent, shampoo & conditioner made in Ontario, from NatureClean (value: $30)

4)    Arm-bag made from recycled store banners in Quebec, from Eco-Handbags (value: $45.99)

5)    Eco-friendly "Green Earth" garden products made in Ontario, from Premier Tech (value: $80)

6)    Natural lip balms made in Ontario, from Fitlips (value:$24)

7)    Vouchers for organic non-dairy SoNice products made in B.C., from Earth’s Own (value: $30)

8)    Natural health products to reduce joint pain made in Ontario, from St.Francis Herb Farm (value: $60)

9)    Biodegradable garden waste bags made in Quebec, from Cascades (value: $16.50)

10)    Natural skin care products made in P.E.I., from The Great Canadian Soap Company (value: $30)

11)    Sustainable canned fish products processed in B.C., from Raincoast Trading (value:

12)    Natural mascara and lipstick made in Manitoba, from Pure Anada (value: $26)

13)    Gardener’s Dream Lotion made in B.C., from Aroma Crystal (value: $39.99)

14)    Majesta paper products made in N.B., from Majesta (value: $20.00)

15) Reusable produce bags made in Quebec, from Credo Bags (value: $25)

Total value: over $ 550.00 !!!

To enter the giveaway, do as many of the 3 following things as possible, as they each count for one entry. The more the merrier (and luckier)!

•    Leave us a comment below telling us what you do to help protect Mother Earth (Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away!);

•    Follow us on Twitter and mention the following: @BuyCndianFirst loves @EarthDayCanada #madeincanada;

•    Like us on Facebook.

The giveaway ends on Friday, April 20th at 5:00 PM ET. We will pick one name at random from all entries and the winner will be announced on Sunday, April 22nd.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER: ANNE, FROM VICTORIA, B.C.

Good luck!

Images courtesy of BuyCanadian First members

I spent last weekend in St-Thomas, Ontario. Why, you ask? Excellent question.

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by my new friend Freddy from the CAW Local 2168 through Facebook (gotta love that!) He was asking me if I had information about what products are made in Canada, for a local trade show they were participating in. Their theme was Made in Canada Matters, which is a campaign really close to my heart! ‘'Better than that'', I answered. ‘'I will come down and spend the day at your booth and bring you some great products Made in Canada!''

I figured, ‘'How far can St-Thomas be from Montreal, right?'' FAR!  We drove for 8 hours down the 401 (yes, my hubby tagged along to keep me company...thanks sweetheart!) through Car Manufacturing Country. It was fascinating to see those gigantic assembly plants: Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Chevrolet, GM and Toyota. Also sad to see some abandoned buildings, evidence of the decline of manufacturing in this great country of ours. As a matter of fact, I learned that the Ford plant in St-Thomas is due to close in September, sending about 1,200 people to the unemployment line. The nearby Lear plant is also slated for closure, as it was supplying the seats for the Ford plant. I also learned that every 1 job in the car manufacturing industry sustains 6 related jobs. So all of a sudden, those 1,200 plus jobs look more like 7,200 plus jobs. Yikes!

At the trade show, I was privileged to meet many people from St-Thomas. Families, elderly people, business owners, etc. This community knows only too well the importance of buying Canadian and it's repercussions on the local economy. And not just cars. Their eyes lit up when they saw what we had brought:

On the table:

- Screwdrivers made by Picquic Tools in Ontario
- Royale Paper products made by Irving Tissue in New Brunswick
- Life jackets (PFD) made by Salus Marine in Ontario
- Pet food made by Oven-Baked Tradition in Quebec
- Goat's milk skincare products made by Canus in Quebec
- Card games made by Outset Media in British Columbia
- Baby sling made by Blue Celery in Ontario
- Boots made by Rallye Footwear in Quebec
- Belts made by Truth in Ontario
- Wall décor made by Felt Fantasia in British Columbia
- Baseball bats made by Sam Bat in Ontario
- Mr. Freeze made by Kisko in Ontario
- RimRoller made by Novel Solutions in Ontario (just in time for the 25th anniversary of Roll up the Rim to Win!)

If you want to see more of these products, check our our current Gift Guide.

To this community, buying Canadian is self-evident. But they had NO IDEA such products were made in this country. Again, information & awareness is the name of the game. And we sure LOVE to play that game!

So again, thanks to everyone in St-Thomas who came out to meet us! I will definitely be back in that part of the country in the next few months, and hopefully will be able to visit one of those assembly plants! Can't wait!

Images courtesy of Isabelle Remy

Did you know that it has been 40 years since the first Earth Day was initiated in the United States in 1970!? It is celebrated worldwide every April 22 and brings attention to crucial environmental causes and issues. In 1990, Canada became part of the first International Earth Day.

I don't have to tell you that Earth Day and its principles should be, and need to be, celebrated every day! You can participate and make your contributions very personal by practicing simple, common sense ways to conserve, reuse and recycle around your home and your community, on a daily basis. Even something seemingly as small as buying Canadian first as often as possible, can make a huge impact, for the better, on the environment!

If your New Year's resolution to clear your personal environment of clutter has run out of steam, maybe Earth Day can help you get your Spring-cleaning mojo back! Instead of taking things to the dump, try Kijiji.ca, a fantastic place to post free ads. You can give your stuff away or sell it, locally or world-wide. Craigslist.ca can also help you get rid of items that you don't want in an environmentally friendly way.

Call your town hall or City Services for larger items that you can 't sell or give away. They will either pick it up on a certain day or tell you the best way to dispose of your item. The same goes for your hazardous waste.  Your city will be able to give you all the information that you need to dispose of unsafe items safely.

Your local newspaper will usually have a yardsale kit that you can purchase for a low price and that delivers signs to post, a handy yard sale checklist and a listing in their weekly yard sale column.

Try organizing a gently used clothing swap with your friends or neighbours. It can be for children's clothing or grown-up clothing for yourselves. You can also do this with craft supplies, fabrics, books or toys! Ride your bike to the swap!

Consider contacting the Canadian Diabetes Society . They will come to you, pick up your good used clothing and resell it at Value Village stores.

Top 10 actions to reduce your impact on the environment:

1) Smart Shopping

• “Buy what you need, not what you want”
• Consider renting and borrowing things that are seldom needed
• Buy used items from garage sales and second-hand stores

2) Simple Savers

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact  fluorescent bulbs
• Use aerators on faucets and shower heads
• Weatherstrip windows and doors

3) Transportation Alternatives

• Walk, cycle, car pool and use public transportation
• When driving, reduce idling and maintain correct tire pressure
• Consider car sharing programs or renting

4) Food Choices

• Choose local and organic foods that are in season,  and support local food producers
• Eat less meat

5) Washing and Drying

• Wash full loads of clothes in cold water and hang to air dry

6) Heating and cooling

• For summer air conditioning, set your thermostat to 24°C or 25°C
• For winter heating, set your thermostat to 19°C or 20°C
• Install ceiling fans and programmable thermostats

7) Close to Home

• Vacation, travel and work as close to home as possible

8) Bathroom Basics

• Take short showers instead of baths
• Close water taps while brushing your teeth

9) Careful Cleaning

• Choose natural, non-toxic cleaning products
• Make natural cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, baking soda and water

10) Don’t Discard

• Donate, reuse and recycle items before throwing them into the trash
• Harmful materials like chemicals, batteries, electronics, etc.  should be taken to local hazardous waste depots or recyclers

Are you doing anything special to celebrate Earth Day's 40th anniversary this year?

Image sources: Earth Day Canada, Kijiji, BuyCanadianFirst.ca

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

Last week, while out for a long overdue lunch with my mom, I had a rhubarb crisp for dessert. Susie of the Jasmine Tea room in Altona, Manitoba had made it that morning with local rhubarb and served it with vanilla ice cream. I swear it was like nibbling on summertime. This first taste of local food has made me excited for the local produce available in my region and hopefully my garden too (keep your fingers crossed).

As we journey through our beautiful vast country we have not been disappointed by the selection of foods available to Canadians (read our other posts on local foods available in British Columbia & Yukon, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Maritimes). We are half way through our local foods cross country adventure; let's see all the delicious treats Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador have to offer.

  

Quebec
Quebec not only has local foods but it has foods available year-round, foods like cheeses, milk, eggs, flour, seafood and charcuterie (cured meats) to name a few. The region around Montreal has some of the richest black earth in northeastern North America, and 90% of Quebec's growers are within a 60Km radius of the city.

Le Marché du Vieux-Port  of Québec city open daily may to Christmas and then Thursdays through Sunday the rest of the year. This market gives you delights like cheese, foie gras and pates, cranberries, maple products, rabbit meat, fruits vegetables and so much more. This market mirrors rural life even though you never actually leave the city.

Pomme en Fête is available from March to December and located in the Lower Laurentian region of Quebec, about 45 minutes north of Montreal. This is where you can stroll between 40 farms, orchards, vineyards and other businesses involved with agri-tourism. You will also find some pick your own farms as well. There are several kinds of apples grown in this region and here is their harvest calendar.

Quebec boasts an impressive choice of organic foods: beef, goose, bison, goat, chicken, turkey, and even ostrich, eggs, grains, milk, fruit, vegetables, maple product and medicinal herbs. To find an organic producer in your region just use  Transformation Alimentaire Quebec's handy search engine.

Montreal's main Farmers markets are the Jean Talon Market, the Atwater Market and Place Faubourg. Learn about them here. There are many other markets and stands around town and on the outskirts as the agriculture around Montreal is vast and rich.

Finally, do not forget to read this website in detail: Équiterre. This organization is building a social movement by encouraging individuals, organizations and governments to make ecological and equitable choices, in a spirit of solidarity. They have lots of resources and ideas not only for local food but for a sustainable lifestyles as well.

Newfoundland and Labrador

I am sure this is a sentiment that Newfoundlanders are tired of hearing but they certainly do have some interesting location names. Wordplay.com has a humourous list some of my favourites are: Ha Ha Bay, Bumble Bee Bight, Bad Bay, Bacon Cove, Traytown and Harbour Harbour. This unique style of naming didn't stop with locations as some of their culinary staples are also exceptionally named: Brewis(hard bread), Jigs Dinner(traditional meat and potato dish), Lassy Mogs and Figgy Duff(pudding). One thing for sure, fish and seafood are main staples, specifically Codfish. Other local goodies include Pease Pudding - which is made of yellow split peas, Bakeapples Preserves, moose meat, and others.

Lester's Farmers market is a 150 year old tradition located on Lester's Farm near St. John's. Along with the market there is a petting barn, corn maze, a pumpkin festival and a U-pick strawberry patch. Open Daily from 10 a.m to 6 p.m.

After a wonderful first year, the St. John's Farmers Market will be open once again. Open for the 2009 season since June 6th every Saturday until November, when the hours will change to 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.. 

Cormack's Farmer's Market located in Deer Lake (western Newfoundland) has all the ingredients of a lush farmers market including fresh cream and butter. Open daily June - August from 9 a.m to 8 p.m. offer.

Riverbrook Farms Country Market, in Corner Brook is one of the largest vegetable farms on the west coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. Open: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m, Monday to Saturday; 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays (June to December).

Canada is certainly one tasty country! Don't forget to leave a comment of your favourite local food, market or recipe, we love hearing from you!

Image sources: Flickr TyeGuyII, Max Shepp, Transformation alimentaire Quebec,  St. Johns  Farmers market

Earth Day was April 22 and was first established in the United States in 1970 marking the environmental movement. Today 6 million Canadians along with billions of people from 141 countries celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day is not just a day, but a way of life and this year I am going to use it to make some ‘Eco-lutions'. I can't think of a better time to start, with 2 young children in the house, I can promote good green habits and an earth-smart attitude. There is so much information about being eco friendly that it can seem hard to know where to start. Don't give up, small steps lead to giant leaps, one person can make a difference, YOU can make a difference. Here are some Eco-lutions you can adopt today!

1. Become a vegetarian - If you aren't already then give it a shot, at least for  a couple meals a week. Meat production is inefficient and energy consuming. For every 1 Kg of beef 6-7 Kg of grain has been used. Not to mention all the time and energy used to harvest the grain. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have estimated that livestock are responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases which is more than the estimated global transportation sector (14%). Remember, it's just as important to buy local and (if you can) buy organic. Don't be worried though. Cooking vegetarian or vegan is easier than you might think! There are tons of recipes available online. A sure bet is the 100 Mile Challenge reality show now airing on the Food Network Canada.
   
2. Change your light bulbs - Regular bulbs may be less expensive at the store but give off 90% of their energy as heat. An average 60 watt light bulb lasting an average of 8,000 hours will use about 480 kWh, at an average of 11.64 cents a kWh, your light bulb will cost you about $55.00 to use. Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) use 75% less energy than a regular bulb and last longer. In comparison, a 13 watt CFL bulb lasting the same time will use about 104 kWh, at the same price of 11.64 cents, your  cost will only be about $12.00. Not only are you saving energy but money, lots and lots of money every year. How many light bulbs do you have in your house? There is one noteworthy tidbit about the CFL bulbs: They do contain a small amount of mercury. Since the mercury is encased within the bulb, there is no risk to us. The mercury cannot escape, but like batteries, CFL bulbs should be disposed of properly. for more information, read this Energy Star fact sheet on the CFL.
3. Bring your own bag shopping - Get yourself into the habit of bringing your own bags for shopping trips. These bags are not only stronger but have less of an environmental impact than their disposable paper and plastic cousins. Stores usually have them available for purchase. Superstore has launched their new campaign to push the use of cloth reusable bags. They hope that raising the price of the disposable plastic bags and promoting cloth ones will divert 1 billion bags from ending up in landfills by years end. If you are not keen on the store brand cloth bags you can buy them from local artisans in stylish designs. Buy Canadian First member Betty Bags has several cute styles of shopping bags including: The Sally Shopper and The Patsy Pocket Pac. Both styles fold up into a convenient size for your purse or pocket, never be without your shopping bags again. You can find a retailer near you here.
4. Travel right - Walk, cycle, take a bus and car pool to reduce your carbon foot print and when you travel, try the train. Trains are popular in Europe but have been grossly overlooked here in North America. A train produces less greenhouse emissions per passenger kilometer than an airplane and is 25% safer than cars. Try Via Rail. They have some great rates a special offers page you can browse.
5. Finally Read, Learn, Act and tell everyone to join you!
   

Did you know that Canadian caribou and boreal forest birds are in danger?
Pollinator numbers are on the decline, insects like bees and butterflies are at risk! These issues and more, like our oceans, need our attention. Find a cause that strikes a chord in you and fight for it!

Remember that your one voice, letter or action will make a difference, the world is changed one person at a time. What are your Eco-lutions this year?

 Blog post writen by: Joseph Wilburn

I'm talking seafood here folks! In all seriousness, I grew up on the west coast and now that I'm living in Ontario, I have to say my consumption of seafood has drastically dwindled. I need to change that.

Fortunately, Buy Canadian First does has some seafood retailer leads for you, on both coasts that can send you the best of what they have to offer if you're like me and not living on a coast.

First up, on the east coast, H&H Seafood located in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia. H&H Seafood has a wide variety of seafood both fresh and frozen available. From fish, crab and clams to (what argubly the East Coast is known for) -- lobster, all shippable from their door to yours.

Seafood, unlike me on a sunny day, should not lay around too long. H&H Seafood has you covered because it's literally hours from the time the fresh fish is caught to time it gets to you.

Should you be local to H&H Seafood in Nova Scotia, they are able to assist you with your special events and catering needs, too. If buying from a Canadian isn't enough, you can also breathe easier and eat with a healthy conscience because H&H Seafood is a supporter of sustainable fishing.

Up next, also on the east coast, is Clearwater Seafoods, one of our largest seafood vendors. On their site, you can see complete price lists and pictures of the yummy seafood they have on offer. Clearwater even has entire dinner packs available for shipment to your door. How cool is that?! A complete dinner at your door. I love it when good things are made simple.

Clearwater is also a sustainable seafood provider. If you're interested take a look at their online brochure for their plan on providing good, sustainable food for Canadian tables.

Take a look at both of these great Canadian seafood vendors!

Have you ever had any of these products before? What's your favourite seafood (mine's salmon)? Be sure to tell me about it in the comments section. I'd love to hear from you!

 Photo credit: ojbyrne, Flickr-Creative Commons

 Blog post written by: Joseph Wilburn

I'll be honest from the get-go here, I don't normally deal with diamonds. No, I normally let Jeeves do that for me because leaving the manz is just a lot of work.

Nevertheless, I've done some digging on some interesting diamond information that I'd like to share with you all.

Canada's diamond industry is growing by leaps and bounds. This is great, because that just helps to add to the already long list of commodities that Canada produces and exports. It helps our northern commmunities begin a path towards economic growth and development. First Nations, Inuit and Métis benefit from the royalties and the new jobs created in the north. There are 4 major diamond mines in Canada: Ekati (NWT), Diavik (NWT), Snap Lake (NWT), Victor (ON). Of note, the Snap Lake and Victor mines were just opened last month by Debeers (of South African fame). There are also other projects waiting to come online between 2012 and 2015: Gascho Kué (NWT), Foxtrot (QC), and Fort-à-la-Corne (SK).

From a technical background, Canadian diamonds aren't just stunning to look at, they are actually some of the best in the world. Now, I know that we cannot control that aspect, it's just a nice perk that they happened to form under the ground that is under our country.

Now that you know all this good information about Canadian diamonds, don't go thinking that you can just fly up north and pick up one off the ground to take home. That's illegal. No matter, why go through all the trouble of cutting, polishing and setting that stone when there are jewelers and fine retailers you can go where all that has been done for you. When it's all said and done isn't it great to just be able to go and pick out a beautiful rock for that special someone in your life?

The Shopping Channel now sells Canadian diamonds and they tell me they have been overwhelmed at the response they've gotten from their consumers. You can have a look at their stunning collection here. With the Holidays approaching, don't you think they would make an awesome gift for that special someone in your life? 

Photo credit: CNW Group; Photo Location: Snap Lake Mine, NWT, The Shopping Channel