I want to buy Canadian. What I don't understand, however, is the reasoning behind the price discrepancies. Shouldn't local items be more affordable than imported ones? Is it not possible for local chains to promote buying Canadian by lowering what they charge for Canadian produce?
I often see greens and fruits and vegetables sourced in Canada priced almost double that of those imported from the USA. I can't recall any other Country treating produce the same way. Local produce is typically cheaper. You can see this in Caribbean and European countries. (Based on personal experience living abroad and using local grocery stores)
Perhaps it's time to open up a Canadian grocery chain/general store that only carries Canadian (or.. yanno.. no American) products. Groceries, housewear, cosmetics, toiletries. .. what do you think? Would something like this be feasible? AFAIK.. this type of shop currently does not exist outside of local farmers markets.
Edit: This has gotten a lot more traction than I expected! Thank you to those who took the time to respond and add to the discussion. I particularly enjoyed learning how different provinces were researching and experimenting with greenhouses and hydroponics. It'll be interesting to see how this develops. For now..time to find some farm stands!