That’s What She Said, Blue-Orange Elections, Proudly Canadian Tire
By Darling Nicky
Canada: The Land of Blue and Orange?
“I called it days ago that NDP would be new opposition. I’m telling you, when u want things to be different, you gotta move differently.” - via @DarlingNicky999 on Twitter
On May 2, 2011 – Canada held its 41st federal election after Governor General David Johnston dissolved Parliament when a vote of “non-confidence” was passed by the House of Commons against the existing Canadian government. With only six weeks to election day from the March 26th dissolution, the campaign mud-slinging took to the streets, the airwaves and our television screens. Perhaps not as cutthroat as our neighbours to the South (Donald Trump, FALL BACK – we don’t need you coming up here and telling us that you question the legitimacy of any of our candidates. Apparently, we question them just fine on our own!)
In the week leading up to election day, the winds blew in a direction they have never blown before creating an unprecedented show of support for The New Democratic Party, especially in provinces like Quebec which have historically been “red zones” with Liberal support. That momentum continued to pick up steam well into the voting stations, because in what can be touted as one of the biggest upsets in Canadian governmental history, the Liberal Party disintegrated in real-time to make way for Jack Layton’s NDP to form the official opposition. Even more surprising was that the Conservative Party took a majority government, in part due to several known Liberal constituencies in Toronto converting to Conservative making the voting landscape a sea of blue.
To add insult to injury, Michael Ignatieff, leader of the foiled Liberal Party, didn’t even win in his riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore, losing out to…yes, a Conservative. So while the Liberals take a time-out to regroup and rebuild, we the Canadian people get to sit back and see how these two parties with polar views on policies ranging from tax cuts to health care, will get along in the sandbox we know as Parliament Hill.
“RT @Heyhomee: The Liberals got kicked in the nuts. #Elxn41 <— You can recover from a nut-kick same day. This may take a lil’ longer.” – via @DarlingNicky999 on Twitter.
Yep, #ThatsWhatSheSaid
Canadian Tire: Proudly Canadian
“This is the kind of aggressive movement that Canadian companies should have been doing ages ago.” – via @DarlingNicky999 on Twitter
So, if you’re not all caught up on what’s happening in the ongoing “Americanization” of the Canadian marketplace, may I remind you that over the last few decades we have seen American public multinational corporation Wal-Mart usurp Zeller’s as the nation’s most popular “low-price” department store, Canada’s oldest retail chain the Hudson’s Bay Company sold to US investor Jerry Zucker in 2006, Stelco in Hamilton, ON (Canada’s last major independent steel producer) purchased by United States Steel in 2007 (and subsequently closed down as of last year leaving workers unemployed), and the recent acquisition of the leases on Zeller’s store buildings buy Target in a purchase from the US owner that purchased the Hudson’s Bay Company assets.
Star Spangled Banner anyone?
So, when I got word that Canadian Tire, one of the few remaining Canadian big-box retail chains would purchase Forzani Group Ltd. (which operates more than 500 retail outlets across Canada under the Sport Chek, Sports Experts Atmosphere and National Sport banners) for C$771 million in a pre-emptive strike to ward off American penetration into the sporting goods circuit, I thought, “Good for you Canadian Tire!” This will mean that national brand sporting goods will now be available in over 1000 retail locations.
I have had some heated discussion with cynics who have thrown in the towel and believe that we (Canada) should just assume our rightful star on the US flag and accept that extinction of Canadian owned retailers is inevitable. Conversely, if we as consumers don’t do our part to shop Canadian, what choices do we leave these companies?
No matter how tempting it may be to go and spend our strong Canadian dollar across the border on goods that we could probably get here (OK, so we don’t carry ALL the coolest brands and such), at least let the rising price of gas be a consideration that may steer you in future to your local Canadian Tire next time you need a fresh new pair of sneakers.
#ThatsWhatSheSaid
Darling Nicky is an entertainment writer, blogger and publicist. Check out her out at www.darlingnicky.ca
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