There are several firms that used to produce a lot of stuff locally - I'm thinking of Northern (Reflections, Experience etc.), Cotton Ginny, Roots - that seem to be producing most of their stuff in low-wage countries now. Anyone with any info on either conditions for workers or quality control for consumers here?

[ 22 September 2003: Message edited by: mighty brutus ]

IGA, Métro, Loblaws here are all unionised - not that it is their own merit but it would be a point in their favour in terms of patronising them. Of course I also shop at a lot of little independent places ... that do tend to exploit their own family members. No perfect solution.

All our Cotton Ginnys closed down And I really liked their tights. I don't know what I'm gonna do this winter.

[ 22 September 2003: Message edited by: kuba walda ]

I really wish there were more Canadian websites and catalogues like LLBean etc. MEC is one, but it is only "real" sportswear - I wish they would branch out to some casual workwear etc.

Kind of displeased that the boots I bought last year, from a local outfitter, weren't made in Canada anymore. Used to be that a pair of Sorels were Canadian made. Now they've been bought out by Columbia Sportswear and it's Vietnam, I think. I just hope they got paid fairly for their great workmanship.

The biggest waste of space here for shopping is the Eatons errrrr Bay Centre.

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Heywood, I'm not familiar with Superstore. Are they as anti-union as Wal-Mart? And are they also a US firm?

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They're owned by Loblaws, have a small psuedo-union, but they are at least Canadian.

I like the Co-op, but they don't carry ethnic foods as a rule.

as for 'made in canada'. i've noticed recently that i rarely see that these days and have started seeing more made in vietnam, mexico, india etc in addition to the usual korea and china. i did buy a pair of underwear yesterday though by 'elita' that said 'made in canada'. i read an article (sorry, was a while back) though that said that 'made in canada' doesn't necessarily mean not made in a sweatshop.

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here's another question to add: would you rather shop at zellers or wal-mart? i think they're much of a muchness even though zellers make a point of their 'canadianness'.

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Yes, I would rather shop at Zellers. They carry some items that are pretty good -- like there's a line of Canadian-made kids clothes. Others are manufactured overseas. I check labels. I have found Zellers much better in that regard than Wal-Mart.

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Originally posted by Zoot Capri:

Yes, I would rather shop at Zellers. They carry some items that are pretty good -- like there's a line of Canadian-made kids clothes. Others are manufactured overseas. I check labels. I have found Zellers much better in that regard than Wal-Mart.

Plus, I get HBC points.

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I never shop at Club Price. It isn't very far from where I live, about 1/2 hr by bicycle, but it is hellish to cart such quantities of stuff home on a bicycle or by public transport. Moreover, I have no room to store such quantities in my little flat. And is it true that they still limit "membership" to people with steady jobs?

I had reasons. But I've never investigated just how virtuous or otherwise they might be. They now advertise getting their stuff through Sobey's -- does anyone know what that means?

But I got fed up of it...it's no fun (especially with fruit, or even packets) when you can't pick them up and examine from all angles.

And, I found myself ordering the same things in my favourites list, rather than spying something new and taking a chance.

But I see how it could be a virtual lifeline when you can't get to the physical store, be it for whatever reason.

Looping round to the ethical question: GG has a policy of 'no tipping'. I assume this is for security reasons (as they also don't take cash, therefore the driver/deliverer is not much of a robbery target.

What do you think? Assuming that there's a fair wage and good conditions, I tend to favour this approach, my experience of employers that encourage or are neutral towards tips is that the worker ends up being screwed.

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MEC AND WORKER CONDITIONS

How Does MEC Ensure Fair Worker Conditions?

Several years ago, MEC members began asking questions about working conditions in firms where MEC label products were made. MEC employees were already working independently to ensure factories producing MEC label products treated workers fairly and with respect. However, these new questions spawned many lengthy and involved discussions within MEC's Board and management team. We wanted to build more formal, standardized processes, and expand the work employees were undertaking in the field.

Those discussions resulted in the MEC Sourcing Policy (1997). It states that MEC will give priority to Canadian suppliers, to co-operatives, to socially and environmentally responsible firms which also operate within local laws, and to those who treat workers ethically and work to improve the lives of their employees. It also states that MEC makes decisions based on our assessment of companies, not countries.

To put the policy into action, we developed the Vendor Code of Practice (1998). We ask all of our vendors to sign and honour the General Terms and Conditions document. It outlines our expectations of our vendors in a clear and concise manner.

Then we needed an internal auditing process to allow MEC buyers, production co-ordinators, and managers to fairly and consistently evaluate current and potential suppliers - hence, the Supplier Team Evaluation Process (STEP). Our audit is comprised of about 200 questions, and takes one or two days to complete. MEC employees go to each factory and investigate standards that include employee health and safety, employment practices, legal compliance, and environmental issues.

In 2000, we performed the STEP process for the first time. We've audited 31 factories, representing over 90 percent of MEC-labelled products.

However, we recognize STEP is not an independent process. Because of this, we have contracted Verité, a non-profit organization that works to prevent labour and human rights abuses in supply chains. Verité offers experience and independence, both vital to the third-party verification process. Beginning in 2002, Verité will audit four of our factories in China.

A Fact Sheet on MEC's Sourcing Policy is available in downloadable PDF format. To view a PDF file you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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[ 05 October 2003: Message edited by: Steve N ]

My daughter's friend has been working at the Value Village on Dundas street east here in London, Ontario, for the past three or four months. She explained to the management her situation, and asked for a leave of absence.

They told her that she couldn't have one, so she quit. They escorted her at once from the building.

All this is....third hand to me, fourth to you.

Ya'll do what you want.

I agree!!!

I'd write one if I were closer to it, have your daughter write one to both publications.

Essentially, yes, they walk the walk. This person looks long and hard, and goes to great lengths to ensure that MEC behaves according to ethical standards of environmental and social behaviour, particularly in low-income countries.

They also give out gobs of money to non-profit community groups, and allow some smaller scale non-profits to use their office space for meetings at no cost.

Pretty good stuff. If only their cycling pants weren't so spandex-y.

Not all Superstores are unionzed. Some are by UFCW ( good union by the way ). Same with IGA. Co-op, and some other stores like Super Value ( in Edmonton and Vancouver and other places ) are "unionzed" by CLAC. Christian Labour something rather. A BS Union if you ask me.

I shop at Safeway because I live downtown and that is the only grocery store that exists outside of the suburbs, plus they are unionzed by the good folks of UFCW. To be honest though, I don't grocery shop much. I probably frequent the fast food giants in higher proportions. It's cheaper?

I think you have a great idea there, Rufus Polson by having your shirts hand made locally. I don't know if I could afford to have this done, but will look into talking to someone local about it. There certainly are a couple of dress makers in town that would be willing to sew for me.

We try to shop for everything locally in our small town. The only regular exception is purchasing my tobacco in Brandon (20% less)when I have to go there. We have a Co-op grocery store where we are members and purchase at 90-95% of our groceries there. The prices are a bit higher and we could save money by shopping in Brandon ($50-100/mo) at the larger chains, but where would we be without a local grocery store...and worse yet where would the people be who can barely afford the staples?

Today was an exception and my husband and I journeyed into Wall-Mart together for the first time in months, maybe over a year. We left the throng with ill tempers, frustrations and of course the lousy feeling of not supporting fair trade.

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Originally posted by Zoot Capri:
[QB]

They're owned by Loblaws, have a small psuedo-union, but they are at least Canadian.QB]

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In the late 90s, I believe that Loblaws/Weston/Fairwest foods closed a warehouse in Winnipeg when the workers there wouldn't take a wage cut and struck. They packed up and headed across the boarder to Kenora Ontario, which had a more agreeable 'climate'.

Trouble is, I'm running out of places to shop, and my local (walking distance) small grocer is a Value-Mart (a Loblaws franchise).

I finally got a chance to speak to the young woman who lost her job. She phoned looking for my daughter yesterday evening. We chatted a bit, and as I suspected, there was a bit more to it than what was presented to me originally.

Value Village would have kept her full time job open for her, but, having plans to return to school in the new year, and thus wanting a part time job, and not knowing how long she was going to be off, Value Village, quite reasonably, said they couldn't hold her full time job open for her.

They did say they'd hire her back part time if and when she became available.

We also have a number of families in our co-op that work for Ikea and it sounds like a very nice place to work. (Sine asked earlier)

While I was working there we had clothes that were made in Myanmar. Your average retail customer is used to seeing China, Thailand, Vietnam...but Myanmar got some people upset enough to walk out.

When I was working there (in 2000) they abided by the absolute minimum standards of employee treatment acceptable to the province of Ontario. Minimum wage, two unpaid days off if your spouse dies, compulsory bag searches, general slimy, patronizing company attitude. It didn't have to be a degrading job, but it was.

My sister worked for Safeway for about 8 years, and had the exact same experience with CFCW. A yellow union if ever there was one. As I was young and impressionable, it turned me against Unions for years (I've come around now that I'm in a good one).

I won't support either Safeway or the union there. I just don't shop there. I usually go to local grocers (lots in my area).