Here is a bit of Lanark Easter History that needs to be documented..🙂Easter History.. You all know that man on the right– Perth Classic Theatre Rev. Bell, and my friend provincial town crier Daniel Richer -Photo by Michael Gauthier. Well here some Easter history about Matthew..🙂
Matthew wrote..Â
Matthew Behrens
23 hrs ·
Throwback Thursday. 20 years ago this Easter Saturday, Loblaws arrested the Easter Bunny for handing out anti-greed chocolate eggs and leaflets describing how Loblaws could actually work to end the root causes of inequality. It was part of a lengthy campaign to expose Loblaws as a corporate hypocrite for supporting those political parties that perpetuate poverty and hunger, and then profiting off of food drives (during which they also busted Santa and elves, Robin Hood, and the Great Pumpkin). Two decades later, Loblaws has admitted to criminal price-fixing, but has not been held truly accountable.
So the heat is on so to speak— on both sides of the platform. On one side we have extremely disgruntled Christmas decoration customers complaining about light shortages at Walmart, Canadian Tire, Michaels, Loblaws and the list goes on.
In the other corner we have Health Canada who has put the sudden Grinch in Christmas decorating by issuing a recall for all seasonal lights produced by Taizhou Hongpeng Colour Lanterns or Ningbo EGO International Co. Ltd., due to “a number of incident reports” concerning their products.
The lights of course are all manufactured in China and sold widely in Canada under various labels, at major retailers such as Michaels, Loblaws and Wal-Mart. Lights affected by the recall are typically sold under North American labels, such as Michaels “Celebrate It” lights and Walmart’s “Holiday Time” lights.  Go online and check your product’s CSA number to determine if it is affected– here is a partial list.
Remind me again why we look for that CSA Certification? Well if you are like me you are probably scratching your head and wondering  why. If the lights are being recalled because they did not meet CSA standards- then how can the box display the CSA logo?
Exactly, what kind of smoke and mirrors game is going on? Well, it seems that the manufacture might have made changes to the product after having gotten the CSA mark of approval. That change, whatever it was, made the product no longer complaint. Â But it does not end with those major retailers. Every single day a retailers has issued the public a warning– a warning you might have missed.
The affected product has a length of approximately 3 meters (10 feet), has clear or colored bulbs and a green wire. The recalled product is identified by model number I-50, CSA file number 224823, Dollarama item number 09-3039962 and UPC 667888205394. Consumers are able to locate the model number and CSA file number on the white tag affixed to the wire and the Dollarama item number and UPC on the product’s packaging .
The lights in question are the ‘Holiday Collection’ brand of indoor and outdoor Christmas light strings, supplied by Danson Decor Incorporated. Okay, Canadian Tire also has “Blue Planet” energy saving (also made in China) outdoor flood lights from Canadian Tire, and on the bulb it cautions “use only in dry locations”! REALLY?? This is Canada– we have SNOW- and it certainly isn’t dry!!!!
The lights manufactured after spring of 2015 and sold between August and November 30 are affected.
If you purchased the lights, stop using them and return them to Canadian Tire for a refund.
The following products are being recalled:
– 051-2307 140LT,8FUNCT CLR
– 051-2309 140LT,8-FUNCT MULTI
– 051-2503 100LT OUT CURTAIN GR
– 051-2504 100LT OUT CURTAIN WH
– 051-2510 100LT OUT CURN WH/RD
– 051-2512 100LT OUT CURN WH/BL
– 151-3652 OD HC LED 50 C9 MLT
– 151-3653 OD HC LED 50 C9 WW
– 151-3751 HC OD LED 200 C6 PW
As for rising prices, more and more produce and grocery items are now being imported from the USA. Local distributors are now even sourcing from Mexico and elsewhere, and as summer and fall now turn to winter, produce prices will increase as well. How about looking at that box of Special K Original in big letters, where on the bottom it says new recipe and now imported. To put it simply, a decline in our dollar means it costs more to import food as it is all paid in US funds, so that is why your prices are creeping up — don’t blame your grocer– we need to get back to business in Canada.
WalMart is waging a battle on the discount end and American company, Whole Foods entry into Canada is now commanding the higher-end market. The conventional grocers are now shifting their interests from discount chains to sprucing up existing mid-market spaces like our local Independent store. Instead of adding square footage, the majority of the spending is moving towards renovations. This is all being done to meet the pressures of more sophisticated consumer demands for what has been called “on-trend” experiences. Shopping habits have changed; if they can’t get it on the internet, most consumers now want it all under one roof. Staying in business these days means staying fresh, staying relevant–and meeting that demand for convenience.
If you live in a city, then competition is the name of the game. In rural settings an all inclusive store is a necessity. In the end it will be the consumer who determines who thrives or falls. if you are going to compare a Canadian company like Mitchell’s Independent to discount grocers then don’t, because that is not what they are. They have competing prices if you take the time to check local flyers. You know, that’s what’s great about a free economy – you have the freedom to make your own choices about where to buy; but please don’t make assumptions about prices. Compare and choose for yourself.
Adam Dowdall from Produce
Jeff Mitchell and his family chose to bring the Independent store in Carleton Place up to a caliber you only find in the city. Heck, they even added a Joe Fresh outlet and hired more local employees. They put their money where their mouth is and to misquote a great song “they’re here for a long time not a short time.” Mitchell’s Independent packaged up choice and quality and brought it to a place where you walk out onto the dock on a summer night in cottage country. What more can you ask for? Thank you for caring about Carleton Place!
Buy Linda Secaspina’s Books— Flashbacks of Little Miss Flash Cadilac– Tilting the Kilt-Vintage Whispers of Carleton Place and 4 others on Amazon or Amazon Canada or Wisteria at 62 Bridge Street in Carleton Place
I have been reading some threads on my local Facebook groups complaining about rising prices in our Carleton Place grocery stores. Did you know since February that all your grocers have faced a stiff 7.5% jump in how much they’re paying for fruits, vegetables, and produce in general? Of course the prices for fresh food always jump in the winter because the produce is imported from the United States and Mexico. But this years rise in prices has little to do with the Winter seasons. Over 80% of our imported produce is bought and sold at the wholesale level only in U.S. Dollars. You can put the blame on our crashing Canadian currency along with competitive pressures. To put it simply, a decline in our dollar means it costs more to import food.
But with the sky-falling loonie, it has put pressure on supermarket owners to either absorb the higher costs, or pass it on to us shoppers. In February Loblaws had no choice and had to raise prices and cut back on promotions. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Some say our Canadian loonie might fall as low as 75 cents U.S. before it even recovers.Â
Customers are extremely value conscious these days and discount supermarkets are continuing to attract more customers. Walmart is said to be going on a huge reduction campaign in their supermarkets, but now that Target has left Canada, it remains to be seen what they will do. .
I have also noticed the price of a pack of ground beef originally $14 to 16 is now up to $23 to $27. Why? Well there seems to have been some sort of past protein shortage which passed on the resulting spike.Then you have to figure the nation-wide droughts caused a shortage in corn.The major use of corn is livestock, and the cost of keeping livestock alive got more expensive. But, word on the street is that should end soon. But the farmer reps still want the highest price and want a high-low price cycle of doing business. How long is it going to be before the processors move out of this province and country ?
Grocers have to become more creative and less-than-desirable produce that many of us are quick to discard will now be sought out and sold in its own special section at certain Loblaw banner stores in Ontario and Quebec, Bravo Loblaws! We are an imperfect species. Embrace imperfect produce!
In closing I say, take it easy on your local grocers–they have a nightmare on their hands.They don’t even set the prices on our weekly flyers-the head office does. There is no way I would want to be in their shoes, but my personal view still is, if prices keep rising, do the hungry today become the starving tomorrow? Where does it end?
🙂Easter History.. You all know that man on the right– Perth Classic Theatre Rev. Bell, and my friend provincial town crier Daniel Richer -Photo by Michael Gauthier. Well here some Easter history about Matthew..
lindaseccaspina 