Check the label and try to shop local

Editor:

As a parent, I am always trying to keep up on items that may be harmful to my child and I have been shocked to hear about melamine and lead in children’s products, harmful chemicals marked as glycerine in cough syrup — the list goes on.

What I find really disturbing is most of these items are manufactured in China and we continue to import then en masse to save a few dollars at the till. Health and safety standards are not equal in all countries and we should be putting the health and safety of ourselves ahead of saving a bit of money.

I am proud to call myself Canadian and I want to do everything I can to support this country and boost our economy.

After hearing the news about lead being found in yet another child’s toy, I decided to look around my home and see just how many items were manufactured outside of Canada. It amazed me to find more than half of my son’s toys, many of my dishes, ornaments, clothing and even some food items were not made in Canada.

Canada is one of the richest countries in the world, both financially and in natural resources, and we need to support industries at home rather than going for the cheapest deal.

I cannot go back and change how I have shopped in the past — which, unfortunately, meant looking for the cheapest deal — but, from now on, I am going to stop and check the labels on everything I buy.

I will give preference to things made and grown in Canada so my money will be put back into the pockets of Canadians.

There are very few items Canadians need or want that cannot be made or grown in our own country.

We always act shocked and appalled when we hear about child labour, sweat shops or people being paid $3 a day, but we look the other way if those people stock our dollar stores with items we want for next to nothing.

If we constantly import items from outside of Canada, we are also sending those dollars we spend out of Canada and we see very little of that profit, if any, staying in our own country.

I know not everyone will agree with my opinion on this and I understand that to a point.

I have heard and used the excuse (“I need to save money wherever I can”) and, yes, shopping locally sometimes means we spend a little more than if we buy cheaper imported goods.

However, it also means the person supplying those items is being paid a fair wage in Canada. It means they can continue to supply those items to Canadians. And it means the money you spend will stay in Canada.

In addition, many local products are of a much higher quality and worth the cost.

Finally, you know those items are being held to our health and safety standards.

Before you slap down your hard-earned cash, check the label and think hard about where your cash is going.

Angela Ternier

Kamloops