By arbitrarily ruling that food products must have 98 per cent Canadian content to merit the national label, the government virtually assured that none can
by BARRY WILSON
The list of stupid or wrong-headed government food policies is long and legendary but few top the decision several years ago by Ottawa to require 98 per cent Canadian content before a food product can be labelled “product of Canada.”
It means almost no products are on Canadian grocery shelves advertised as “product of Canada.” It means Canadian food processors and exporters often slap a “product of Canada” label on a product heading into the United States because it gives it a valuable brand, even if that product cannot be sold that way in Canada.