Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

IAN MACLEOD -- Love of country is much more just words – it is also demonstrated by actions


The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our local businesses, and everything that flows from them -- jobs, tax base supporting public services, business supported community programs, and so on -- has brought into stark relief the critical importance of those business to our very way of life and the existence of our communities.

It is a symbiotic relationship - in turn, those businesses cannot exist without the support of the local shoppers.

Sadly, it has taken this crisis for many Canadians to recognize this fact -- that “cross border shopping” has been an issue for decades.


He said that he loved Canada and that he never bought anything without checking the source label. If he had a choice, he would never buy anything unless the label said “Made in Canada”.


I have a personal story on how a Canadian immigrant / refugee understood what far too many long time Canadians did not (or worse, just didn’t care).

In 1992-93, I was Chair/President of the BC Chamber of Commerce. One day I was heading by taxi to the airport for a trip “up North” to give a business speech.

As usual, I rode in the front of the cab, so I could chat with the driver and get his story (they were always men and they all had stories – someone should write a book on “The Cabbies of Vancouver” – or probably any other city, for that matter!).

He was from Iran. He was a Muslim and his wife a Bahá’i. They had two children.

The Muslim authorities in Iran had come to him (presumably some time after the 1979 revolution) and told him he had to leave his wife and she was to have no further contact with their kids, as she would poison their Muslim upbringing.

Instead, they fled, through Turkey and Germany and eventually to Canada, presumably as refugees.

He said that he loved Canada and that he never bought anything without checking the source label. If he had a choice, he would never buy anything unless the label said “Made in Canada”.

I suggested that maybe I should drive his cab and he could go and deliver my speech – I expect that he would have done a better job of speaking than I would have of driving his cab!

Love of country is much more just words – it is also demonstrated by actions.

That Iranian immigrant family taught us all a lesson then – they bought Canadian.

We, sadly, have been forced to learn that lesson again.

“Buy Canadian” and “buy local” folks – the very survival of our communities depends on it!



ABOUT IAN MACLEOD ... Ian is a retired lawyer. Before law, he spent 15 years as a BC banker (4 as a small-town branch manager). He has lived or worked in 17 communities of all sizes ... 14 in BC, two in Nova Scotia, and one in Quebec.

He has been very involved in the volunteer leadership of over 40 organizations, heading 14 of them - including the BC Chamber of Commerce (1992-1993), the Clan MacLeod Societies of Canada (2004-2008) and the Richmond Aquatics Advisory Board (2008--2018).

He has written widely on public policy issues.

He has received several awards, including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal (2002).
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC’s Forestry Decline Is a Policy Failure, Not a Market Reality -- Forestry Critic Calls for Accountability and Urgent Policy Reset

Conservative Party of BC Forestry Critic, and Kamloops - North Thompson MLA,  Ward Stamer As the Truck Loggers Association convention begins today, BC Conservative Forestry Critic Ward Stamer says British Columbia’s forestry crisis is the result of government mismanagement, not market forces, and that an urgent policy reset is needed to restore certainty, sustainability, and accountability. “For generations, forestry supported families and communities across BC,” said Stamer.  “Today, mills are closing, contractors are parking equipment, and families are being forced to leave home, not because the resource is gone, but because policy has failed.” Government data shows timber shipment values dropped by more than half a billion dollars in the past year, with harvest levels falling by roughly 50 per cent in just four years. At the same time, prolonged permitting timelines, unreliable fibre access, outdated forest inventories, and rising costs have made long-term planning impossib...
Post a Comment
Read more

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Eby government signs another land-use agreement, as they say one thing and do another, during DRIPA chaos

While promising to fix DRIPA, the Eby government continues to quietly sign binding land-use agreements that fundamentally alter how Crown land is governed in British Columbia. On January 15, 2026, the government signed four ministerial orders advancing the Gwa’ni Land Use Planning Project with the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, amending the Vancouver Island Land Use Plan and changing how more than 166,000 hectares of Crown land can be accessed, developed, and managed. “This is Land Act reform by stealth,” said Critic for Indigenous Relations Scott McInnis. “British Columbians already rejected these changes once. In 2024, public backlash forced the NDP to pull its Land Act amendments. Instead of listening, this government has gone underground, signing individual deals behind closed doors, just like we’ve already seen in places such as Squamish, Teẑtan Biny, and across Northwest BC.” “The Premier admits DRIPA ( the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act) is creating ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more