‘Buy Canadian’ push should really be a ‘Buy Local’ push: CFIB

The push to buy from Canadian companies has picked up momentum. CTV’s Krista Sharpe has more on the local impact.

Business picked up at John Sleeman and Sons Distillery in Guelph, Ont. as the tariff deadline neared.

“Our phones were off the hook [Monday],” Cooper Sleeman said. “All day long. From the moment I got in the office to the end of the day. Various bars and restaurants looking to purchase products that they were scared about not being able to get.”

Even though U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minster Justin Trudeau made a deal to pause tariffs for 30 days, some consumers are looking to continue the “Buy Canadian” trend.

“All of our ingredients are from Canadian producers, so any dollar you spend with us is also supporting Canadians,” Sleeman said.

Shoppers seem to be on board with the push.

“I am not super into politics, but I’ll probably shop Canadian just because I’m patriotic in that way,” said Kitchener resident Jax Grover.

Neelam Sharma said her son sent her to the grocery store with a list of specifically Canadian products he wanted her to buy.

“We are going to buy most of the Canadian stuff,” she told CTV News. “I have started already shopping for Canadian things, although they are expensive, little bit expensive, but still, we must be loyal to our nation.”

For the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), its not just about buying Canadian.

“One of the things that we are really trying to get across is that it really should ultimately be a ‘Buy Local’ push,” said Ryan Mallough, CFIB’s vice president of legislative affairs. “We want to make sure that the store is Canadian owned and operated, and then when you’re in there looking for Canadian products, it’s great. But there are a lot of small, independent Canadian retailers that do import and sell American products and we wouldn’t want to see those stores [take a] hit because they can’t adjust their supply chain.”

Some imported items can’t be quickly or easily replaced, and small businesses may still depend on them.

Despite using ingredients solely from Canada, John Sleeman and Sons can’t say its whiskey and spirits are fully Canadian.

“In order to make a bourbon-style spirit, you need to age it in brand new American oak barrels, and we follow all of those rules,” Cooper Sleeman explained. “We bring barrels up all year long from the United States. And it’s not a cheap endeavor. To have a 25 per cent tariff put on that would hurt.”

Mallough said shopping local is still the best bet.

“When you spend local, 66 cents of every dollar stays in your community,” Mallough said. “That’s supporting local jobs, local supply chains, local businesses. It really is the best thing you can do.”