Take a Buy Canadian approach to trade relations

As a result of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tirades, buying Canadian has become an issue. This is a practice I have been doing for a long time anyway, long before Trump was president.

My reason: The U.S. has been treating Canada badly for years and the Canadian public should be more aware of it. American companies have bought out our factories and businesses and promptly moved the equipment and jobs to the U.S. From locomotives (Caterpillar’s take-over of EMD), to pickles (Smucker’s buy-out of Bick’s) and everything in between.

Then they have the audacity to sell the products back to us with a “Made in U.S.A.” label.

Other examples (just here in Niagara) are John Deere, Hayes Dana, and Georgia Pacific, all companies that abandoned their Canadian branch plants, moving jobs south. Yes, these are American companies but they sell products to Canadians and we should share in some of their production. Our “friends” south of the border had a “Buy American” policy in place long before Trump, but we should invite the U.S. president to take a tour of our retailers (groceries, hardware stores, pharmacies, etc.). There, he would find shelves stocked with U.S. products. Ironically, he says Canada treats his country badly. A total boycott of these products would be unfeasible but where we do have a choice, I’ll pick Canadian made goods every time.

Dan Wheeler Niagara Falls