Michael R. Barrick

I would like it noted for the record that despite the fact that I don't have a crappy retail job, and I am off today, I am NOT shopping. It's downright dangerous out there.

For lots of Americans who have today off and are home (read: not visiting others for Turkey Day), this is a "centering" day. Clean house, relax, sleep in, do laundry. It's sort of a "catch up" day, 'cause we're all tired from yesterday, and the weekend hasn't officially started yet.

From:

seymour-glass.livejournal.com

we should try and buy canadian everyday...in addition i also think it's okay to support the small business, or local business on such a day...i think the sentiment should be anti-corporate, not anti-business...

From:

"Lots of Americans" but of course not all, the fact remains it's still biggest shopping day of the year in the U.S.. Buy Nothing Day absolutely makes sense for you. Point is, it isn't relevant to Canada. Our busiest shopping day is usually around the 22nd of December and depends on what day of the week Christmas falls on.

When people say things like "the busiest shopping day for North America" it's just another case of Canada being arbitrarily included as part of the U.S. "domestic" market. It's that mindset that results in things like Canadian films being distributed as "foreign films" within Canada. The blame for that is our own. I'd love to see the Minister for Heritage and Culture actually impose rules (like every other country has, including the U.S.) against this sort of thing and encourage a genuinely domestic Canadian films, magazine, literature, et al.. But because the federal government caved to lobby pressure from Hollywood in the 1920's it's ended up just being "the way things are."

Yup. Look at me. The Canadian patriot... it's practically an oxymoron.

From:

But if you must go corporate, at least make it a Canadian corporation. Better Canadian Tire or the Bay than Sears, for example.

From:

It *is* weird to see such a huge country exist in the shadow of this one...similar, but different. Better to remain different, I say.

From:

seymour-glass.livejournal.com

that's right let's keep it in canada...land of the maple leaf and beaver...

From:

She would have worn a maple leaf over her beaver.

From:

We may be huge on a map, but it's our lack of numbers that makes us small. There are about the same number people in greater L.A. than all of Canada. The island of Manhattan has as many people on it as Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal combined. Canada even pales in comparison the Mexico - Mexico City beats the total population of Canada by about the population of greater Vancouver. More people worked in the WTC than the entire population of Nunavut.

Population-wise Canada is roughly on par with Afghanistan. That puts things in an interesting perspective, doesn't it?

From:

I had no idea. Knew much of it was un-populated, just didn't realize it was THAT much.

Where's Nunavut? *curious*

From:

edbook.livejournal.com

shopping at one of the four biggest malls (Canadian owned) in the Seattle area is going to be a mobhouse today... not me, and not because I'm boycotting American or Canadian...

I don't consider the demand of the monetarily rich to make them richer a priority of mine. and don't consider Christmas the proper time to do so at any rate.

Peace

From:

But really, that's how "Buy Nothing Day" is intended. It *is* relevant in the U.S., but not up here. Today is should just an ordinary day, just like yesterday. The fact that it isn't speaks to a larger issue, however.

From:

"Buy Nothing Day" is a target against corporations and commercialism. Sales are calculated by what companies report for their total sales from North American stores and sales, regardless of whether located in Canada, U.S., or Mexico. Due to population dynamics, spending economies, etc. It just so-happens to fall on this day as being the big commercial date because its a weekday where a large population in North America has the day off, following an American holiday where participants didn't spend too much money to celebrate, and its timely before another commercial holiday. If Canada had population and spending dynamics larger than the U.S. this day would be "Boxing Day". Canadians do participate in this date - as many do drive across the border to take advantage of the sales 15-75% off. No different than us Americans who drive over the border on "Boxing Day" to take advantage of Canadian sales. Granted, some American corporations on Canadian soil, will still hold high sales on this date to be uniform with their American outlets. Spastic patrons to such stores as Sears, if seeing a 15-75% off sale, will go spend money on that day, regardless if it falls after an American or Canadian holiday - because they save money and they are commericalized victims.

As having been a corporation at least twice in my life, I've gotten those little statisical pieces of trash asking us corporations what are big selling days, when we make the most money, etc. I trash bin them. or did (I'm an LLC now) ... because I don't have a store front and days like this mean squat to my business. Sure I get a few more online sales- from all parts of the world, and had I contributed to the statistics that makes this the big selling day, I'd jot down sales received regardless of whether from Canada, Europe, or the U.S. and if they affected my business substantially, it would make it a big selling day for me in North America, because I am in North America, and I do operate within the U.S. and Canada, though limited. However, this is probably one of the worst days for sales because (a) I don't hold a sale,(b) most of my patrons would be the type to participate in 'Buy Nothing Day'.
(so why not fight back and buy from a starving independent artist like me ... http://www.leafworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv if you want to spend money today ... guaranteed the profits from that sale WILL go back into the commercial money flow in both the U.S. and Canada, though most likely targets in Canada would be LAF, Purple Onion, Sin City, local restaurants, and stores)

Honestly, though its vile against my business, I do believe that everyone should participate in a "Buy Nothing Day" on some large commercial date that its impact could potentially be noticed. Whether that is on the day after American Thanksgiving (not a holiday - that commercial date could change is consumerism wills it by stopping buying on that date - could become then the day after Xmas or the date before Halloween) or Boxing Day (an official Canadian commercial holiday) itself.

To some people it doesn't matter what day something falls on, as long as they are part of the flow. To others, to be with the flow is wrong. Dates are dates, but to some of us, we're picky. I for one don't celebrate my winter holiday on the 25th.... its contrary to my religion and doesn't mean diddly-squat to me ... I do it on the 21st, and that date means alot to me. Same for Easter ... I celebrate it on March 21st instead of when the rest of the world celebrates it - regardless of the ability to get chocolate filled Easter baskets or marshmellow peeps for my daughter in time ...

From:

So if dates are important to you, because of your nationality, do "Buy Nothing Day" on "Boxing Day". If dates are not important ... than do it on the statisically high commerce date where the impact might have a chance to be felt (DOUBTFUL) according to the creators of the un-commercial (though really is commericial in a sense) holiday. The key is to speak out against LARGE (not us tiny ones) CORPORATIONS. So doing a Buy Canadian Day on this specific date, only defeats the movement against corporations. Because if all Canadians went out on this date to specific increase sales, the impact would affect the statistics that will still keep this a largely commercial North American spending day. I say, let it be changed, the day before Halloween would be grand for me ... that's when I get most of my sales .... mwahahahaha ...

anyway, my cruddy two cents ... well looking at the length ... my loonie fill of comment

From:

Nunavut is one of Canada's three northern territories (along with the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories). Ten provinces, three territories.

From http://www.gov.nu.ca

The area is about 1/5th of Canada, population 28,000. Santa Claus lives in Nunavut ;)

From:

Santa Claus lives in Nunavut ;)

A-ha! Good to know. : )

From:

"total sales from North American stores and sales, regardless of whether located in Canada, U.S., or Mexico"

That right there is the part that gets my goat, and it is the large commercial entities that encourage it. When you look at Canada in terms of raw numbers we can't hold our own, as I've been pointing out in this thread (http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=mbarrick&itemid=329167#t782543), and for that reason "Buy Nothing Day" is an ineffective concept for Canadians (and IMHO a little insulting). If consumerism and culture weren't wrapped together as they are I'd probably be maitaining a stance more like Ryan's (http://www.livejournal.com/talkread.bml?journal=evilyn13&itemid=287811&#t1617987), but they are. In essence I agree with you,

edbook, and

seymour_glass - vapid consumerism is bad, but I'm not against buying luxury items, far from it. Even buying luxury items "to keep up with the Joneses" is not so bad. In fact, when people were looking to their neighbours and not mass-media for their cultural yardsticks, culture developed regionally and had room to diversify over disparate geographies. But when you consider that now "the Joneses" are manufactured by the culture industry that supports U.S.-style consumerism and the date-of-choice for this anti-holiday is mired in the same mindset that makes Canada part of the "domestic" market for that culture industry, you see my larger gripe.

But all the theoretical wanking aside and anti-holidays aside, it's a person's day-to-day life that matters. For example, I keep my old car not because I can't afford a new one but because the old one still works and does what I need it to do; I have an espresso machine because I like *really strong* coffee, not because I'm trying to be like somebody on TV. I try avoid manufactured desire every day, not just today.

From:

Here's my advertising plug ....
Here's the ad, link, and story ....

Buy Tree Leaves! (it won't affect commercialism nor buy nothing day)

From:

Santa Claus
North Pole, NU
Canada H0H 0H0

(Seriously! (http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/dec/santa/writesanta/default-e.asp))

From:

I can certainly see where it gets your goat. It gets mine too ... I'm against the large corporations just like everyone else. Those who take over the world and run it into the ground. I don't want to support that. However, the point I always try to unsuccessfully make to everyone, its not *all* corporations. Some of your best friends could actually be indeed a *corporation* and might even be *American*. Doesn't mean they are doing the nasties to the world.

Days like today hurt my business on both regards: I'm not big enough to be able to afford large sales. Our prices are cheap enough, and we don't even survive on that. But competition with the big-boys n girls is too hard not to keep it cheap. That at least allows for us smallbies to stay alive. But a day like today, no one will purchase anything from my store, just like most days, because of (a) under-exposure, (b) lack of advertising budget,(c) lack of funding, (d) lack of staff, (e) lack of support, (f) being squashed by the big bullies, (g) inability to do mass sales and marketing campaigns, and (h) obscure product materials that were forgotten around the hearth long ago once electricity was invented. (well not the bumper stickers and clothing at least ... but certainly the candles ... lol)

People should support their own. They should support their local market. They should support their friends and family. Because its the money they invest locally or into friends that they will see back and will better their lives day-to-day by doing so.

I agree with ya.

From:

reive-d.livejournal.com

"Buy Nothing Day" is in fact a "Made in Canada" event itself. Ad Busters, which was originally (still is?) based here in Vancouver conceived of it.

Actually, I'd argue with you that you shouldn't buy from ANY of the stores you listed - because they are the biggies. "Buy Nothing Day" is designed to draw attention to how we in North America (and we're almost as guilty of this as our cousins to the south) consume.

I've been guilty of purchasing something already today, a chai latte, but I made a point of going to a small Italian cafe here on the Drive. So if you're going to buy something today you should buy it from some place small - not a big firm, whether they're Canadian or not.

My thoughts.

From:

reive-d.livejournal.com

Very thoughtful and informative post.

Thanks.

From:

Well said.

From:

opium.livejournal.com

Yep December 22nd - that's because my legions of fans are preparing for my birthday!

From:

opium.livejournal.com

Yeah that's why I thought it made sense...concieved of in Canada.
*shrug*

From: (Anonymous)

Just for your info "Future Shop" is no longer Canadian owned. They sold out this spring to "Best Buy" which, you guessed it, a American retailer.
Don't buy at either of these places because they are moving in "Best Buy" stores and planning to go head to head with the existing "Future Shop" chain. The plan is to force A&B out of business as well as several other smaller local retailers. By creating a "fake" competition they will drive prices just low enough to attract customers to them. To beat local prices they will be using their massive buying power, which will only grow from this merger, to force distributers to lower prices to them or else loose product sales by not being featured in this much smaller retail environment. They will also receive larger kick back cheques because distributers use a sliding scale, the more you buy the bigger the percentage.
But the sad thing about all of this is not the loss of a Canadian owned retailer, but the minimum wage they pay their staff. It perty much guarantees that your money is most effectively piped into the US economy.
Ztar

From: