Jobs
Manufacturing is an essential component of our economy. Unfortunately a great deal of this activity has left the country over the past few decades due to dozens of international trade agreements. While these agreements may have been signed with good intentions and allowed businesses and their shareholders to profit greatly, there is a strong case to be made that global trade has not been a good deal for the average Canadian.
We need a strong manufacturing sector to provide real, productive jobs here in Canada. The workers in turn pay taxes, buy goods and services, and keep our economy moving.
Environment, Worker Safety, Human Rights
It is often cheaper to manufacture overseas because those countries have few if any environmental regulations. This activity is leaving a horribly toxic legacy for future generations in some of the most impoverished areas of the world. Additionally these products must be shipped great distances, further increasing their carbon and environmental footprint beyond what would be the case for the same product made in Canada.
It is hard to forget well-publicized industrial disasters such as garment factory fires, sprawling electronics waste dumps and deplorable living conditions at large factory towns. The truth is we will only ever hear a small fraction of the environmental, safety and human rights abuses resulting from global trade.
Vote with your Wallet
In all likelihood there will be more trade agreements signed and more jobs shipped offshore before we see a major change to this approach. But there is no requirement that we buy these products. By buying Canadian we can collectively vote where it really counts: with out money. When companies producing products domestically are rewarded for doing so with more sales, it may make financial sense to expand domestic operations and bring manufacturing jobs back to Canada.
The reality is it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to buy Canadian all the time. In a lot of cases there will be no Canadian-made option available. Other times it will not be realistic financially. But if we all make an effort big things are possible.
Notimported.ca was created (in Canada) to make it easier to find and buy Canadian products online. Whether you buy through us, elsewhere online, or at brick and mortar stores, please do what you can to buy Canadian.