Maple-washing leaves a bad taste
Companies have not missed an opportunity to use patriotism as a marketing tool. The country’s renewed support of sovereignty, fuelled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, has created a buy-Canadian frenzy.
While one can’t argue with the motivation for wanting to support Canadian companies, it does feel kinda icky to realize a global economic threat is being used to fuel consumerism. It’s a maple-washing of sorts, not unlike the green-washing that has become ubiquitous in marketing – using elements of nature and green letters to convince people they are shopping responsibly without making any changes to the product.
I first noticed overt maple-washing in a radio ad for B.C. based Spence Diamonds’ Canadian engagement rings: “Our diamond engagement rings are lovingly made-to-order in Canada by Canadians. Always have been. Always will be. As a Canadian-founded company, we proudly have a 46-plus-year history playing a small role in many Canadians’ happily ever-afters. When you create your one-of-kind ring with Spence, you are protecting Canadian jobs and supporting Canadian- made products.”
Fair. If while facing a recession, a diamond is a must- have, a lovingly made-to-order Canadian ring would be a good choice. However, marketing diamond rings as Canadian feels dubious at best since Spence buys its diamonds from suppliers in Mumbai, Tel Aviv and New York. The same could be said for coffee, sugar, and umpteen different international products sold by Canadian companies.
When it comes to marketing, imagery and font colour are enough to sway patriotic shoppers, even when the product does not meet labelling requirements. According to the Government of Canada, the claim “Canadian” is considered to be the same as a “Product of Canada” claim. As such, all or virtually all major ingredients, processing, and labour used to make the food product must be Canadian. When a food is made with ingredients that are all sourced from outside of Canada, the label would state “Made in Canada from imported ingredients.” (For example, a cookie manufactured in Canada from imported flour, oatmeal, shortening and sugar.)
We have come to rely on a borderless economy to move goods and have access to foods our ancestors had never laid eyes on. It is mystifying that we can go to Foodland and buy ripe avocados, bananas, and oranges. We have happily purchased these items for years without questioning the working conditions of the harvesters or the environmental impact of shipping fresh produce around the world.
There is a lot of support for buy-Canadian at this time. It is a worthwhile direction in which to focus our rage when we feel bullied by a trade-war lord at the helm of the largest economy on the globe. What else can we do?
