Latest news with #Canadian-ness
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Why Canadians are turning on Tim Hortons: A brewing identity crisis
For decades, Tim Hortons has been a cherished symbol of Canadian identity, tied closely to the country's culture and national pride. But in recent months, public sentiment has shifted. Many Canadians are voicing frustration and even outrage over the company's deepening ties to the United States. What was once considered a beloved national treasure is now being criticized for losing its roots. With its parent company headquartered in Miami and a growing perception of American influence, Tim Hortons is facing a backlash that has some customers calling for a boycott and questioning what it truly means to be Canadian. Tim Hortons' American ownership and loss of Canadian identity Tim Hortons was founded in 1964 by hockey player Tim Horton and quickly grew into a staple of everyday Canadian life. However, its 2014 acquisition by Burger King, and the resulting formation of Restaurant Brands International, shifted its corporate structure. The company now has its principal executive offices in Miami, and 60 percent of its shares are held in the US. This shift has left many Canadians feeling the brand no longer represents them, despite its ongoing marketing campaigns claiming it is 'proudly Canadian. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo ' Public backlash and cultural disappointment The criticism has been especially vocal online, with Reddit users and commentators expressing disgust over the chain's continued dominance in Canadian life. Some are angry that a company with American leadership is still seen as a Canadian cultural icon. One Reddit user called it 'embarrassing,' while others have accused Tim Hortons of destroying local food culture and selling out its identity. Despite efforts by the company to address concerns through public relations campaigns, many feel these gestures are hollow. Local ownership vs corporate control While Tim Hortons argues it remains Canadian through its franchised business model, with profits going to local Canadian owners, critics are unconvinced. They point out that major corporate decisions are made in the US, and that the branding of "Canadian-ness" is more a marketing tactic than a reflection of values. Business experts say the situation is nuanced, but the symbolic weight of American control has ignited a strong emotional reaction among Canadians. Tim Hortons trying to reclaim national pride In February, Tim Hortons launched a campaign reaffirming its Canadian roots, but the move was met with skepticism. The company's press release titled 'Is Tim Hortons Canadian?' was widely seen as defensive rather than reassuring. Many Canadians now see Tim Hortons as a brand that has drifted too far from its origins, turning what was once a point of pride into a point of contention. Whether the company can win back public trust remains uncertain in a time when national identity feels more contested than ever.
CBC
05-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Why some Londoners are flying the flag in the face of uncertainty
On the first day of a newly launched trade war between Canada and the United States, Canadian pride is on display on the streets of London, Ont. It's not a bombastic, over-the-top display filled with giant national symbols, lights and more, but rather one that's markedly Canadian in its humbleness. On some streets, newly erected flags bearing the iconic maple leaf hang from houses. On others, signs reading "Happy Canada Day" have been pulled out of storage and planted on snowbanks. Some homes have multiple flags and some have other national symbols proudly displayed. "We've all quietly celebrated our Canadian-ness in the past, but there seems to be a threat coming from south of the border, and it's important to let the people down there know, no, we're not interested in being part of your country," said Ellie Cartman, a Wortley Village resident who has a large Canadian flag affixed to the front of her home. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump launched a long-dreaded trade war with Canada by imposing 25 per cent tariffs against most Canadian goods brought into the U.S. and 10 per cent tariffs on Canadian energy. Alongside several months of threats, Trump has been making increasingly direct comments that he believes Canada should be absorbed into his country. As a result, over the past several weeks owners and employees at stores that sell flags and other national symbols have told CBC News their sales have skyrocketed. Although she's pleased to hear there's been a newfound surge of national pride and many are flocking to the flag at a time many believe Canada's sovereignty is on the line, Cartman said she's been proudly displaying the flag on her property since 2018. "I think it's great. We love our country. It's a wonderful way of life," she said. "It shows a certain amount of solidarity that typically we don't exhibit, but we always know it's there. It especially shows up at hockey games." To Cartman, the flag is a display of Canadian values that she plans to fly as long as she can. "I think the average values of Canadians are that we support things like tolerance, and unlike other countries, we are not a melting pot. We're a cultural mosaic. I find myself enriched by other people's cultures," Cartman said. "Here we are living all together, with all these different views of the universe. It's a wonderful thing." Several houses down, another large flag proudly flies, affixed to the home of Terry Lavergne. The Londoner said he's taken the U.S. president's actions to heart, like many other Canadians. "We're so deeply offended and betrayed. It's boycott American for me. I've already spent a month looking at places where I can shop better," he said, referring to a growing buy Canadian movement that started when tariff threats were first threatened. Lavergne, too, has been flying the flag for years. He said he feels that display of national pride is important, but it's especially important now. "This might be one of the most serious challenges we've ever faced. I'm 68 years old. I've lived a damn good life in Canada," Lavergne said. "I've been through free trade negotiations before. This is different and everybody feels that. As I say, Canada is worth fighting for and we'll be okay." Lavergne said he's noticed a significant increase in the number of neighbours flying the flag, and that makes him proud. "Out of all the countries on this planet, Canada has the brightest future. The future is ours. It's not the Americans. Canada is worth fighting for, and that's damn well what we're going to do," he said.
CBC
12-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
Multinational food and beverage firms push Canadian-made products amid tariff spat
Social Sharing Amid a "buy Canadian" push inspired by trade tensions with the U.S., some multinational food and beverage companies are working hard to highlight their Canadian-made products. Canadian viewers of the Super Bowl over the weekend may have noticed a new ad from Kraft Heinz. The ad, set in the company's Montreal factory, was put together in less than a week, said Simon Laroche, president of Kraft Heinz Canada. The factory employs more than a thousand people and has 42 production lines, he said. "Brands like Philadelphia cream cheese ... Kraft peanut butter, Heinz ketchup, Kraft salad dressing or Kraft singles, even Classico pasta sauce. All of those brands are made in Canada by Canadians, and people didn't know that," said Laroche. "We make 70 per cent of what we sell in Canada, in Canada." WATCH | New ad by Kraft highlighting its Canadian-made products: After U.S. President Donald Trump announced he intends to implement sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would retaliate with tariffs of its own. Now, the two sides are in the midst of a month-long truce. But in the meantime, many Canadians are looking for ways to support domestic businesses that could be hurt if tariffs do come into play. It's a good time for brands to promote Canadian products, said Rachel Thexton of Thexton Public Relations. But consumers looking to shop patriotically are finding it's not cut-and-dried, she said. There are several different labels depending on how a product was made, and many international companies such as Kraft Heinz make products in Canada, so brands are clamouring to prove their Canadian-ness to shoppers in the grocery store. "They're certainly investing a lot in this," Thexton said. Multinational brands are likely concerned their sales could suffer because they're not seen as Canadian, said Thexton. WATCH | Why it might be harder than you think to buy Canadian: Why it might be harder than you think to buy Canadian 14 days ago Duration 5:30 Other large U.S.-based food companies with a manufacturing footprint in Canada include Hershey, PepsiCo and its subsidiary Frito-Lay, and Mondelez International, the maker of Dad's cookies, Oreos, Ritz crackers and other well-known snacks. Many big-name alcoholic drinks are also manufactured in Canada. Molson Coors, which was formed through the merger of Canadian company Molson and American company Coors, brews a slew of beverages domestically including its namesake beers as well as Blue Moon, Arizona Hard Tea, Miller and Rickard's. The company has nine brewing locations across the country, employing thousands of people, said spokeswoman Alex Sockett in a statement. "While we are a global business, the vast majority of our beers and beverages are made in the market in which they are sold." In recent comments urging shoppers to seek out Canadian-made products, Trudeau noted that when the country was in a trade tiff with the U.S. in 2018, Heinz ketchup was on the chopping block. "The example from last time was Heinz's ketchup being replaced by French's ketchup because French's was still using Canadian tomatoes in its ketchup," Trudeau said. The Chicago-based multinational food company was quick to respond. Though it closed its Leamington, Ont. factory in 2014, it returned to producing ketchup in Canada in 2020, and now its ketchup is again made with Canadian tomatoes. "We wanted to make sure that Heinz was not going to be the example," Laroche said. Kraft Heinz is currently looking at its packaging, aware that shoppers are looking for labels indicating a product's Canadian-ness, said Laroche. Some, like Philadelphia cream cheese, are getting a packaging refresh soon, he said. It's also working with retailers on stickers, flyers and other ways to highlight Canadian-made Kraft Heinz products, Laroche said. However, he understands it's easier said than done for Canadian shoppers to figure out what it even means to buy Canadian. "The truth is, the entire supply chain in North America is very integrated," he said. U.S.-based food and beverage companies aren't the only ones working to reassure Canadians they're buying local products. Dr. Oetker Canada, whose parent company is located in Germany, put out a press release last week saying it's committed to domestic manufacturing, and that most of its products are made in Canada using locally sourced ingredients. It said its London, Ont., facility employs 430 people and uses 53,000 pounds of Canadian cheese daily. Lactalis Canada, which is owned by French parent company Lactalis, launched a guide for shoppers that includes information on what the labelling on their products means, such as "Made in Canada," "Product of Canada" and the blue cow logo for Canadian dairy. Yoplait Canada is also under French ownership, having been newly acquired by dairy co-operative Sodiaal. The brand put out a statement saying that for more than 50 years its products have been made in Quebec with milk from local farms. Thexton expects brands will continue to spend in the short term on ads, marketing and other ways to push their Canadian connections, whether they're Canadian-owned or multinationals with a manufacturing presence in Canada. It's up to shoppers to decide whether those efforts resonate, said Thexton.
