Some of the best cowboy boots in the world may very well be made in Texas, but the Texan variety many not be on the shelves in Brandon Postuma’s store for much longer.
The veteran Kakabeka Falls retailer said he’s confident he can source a Canadian-made boot that’s nearly as good, which would suit him just fine.
About 90 per cent of the products that Postuma sells at Kakabeka Depot Express, including livestock and pet feed, are made in Canada, and have been for many years.
“We’re talking with a Canadian (boot) company,” Postuma said on Monday.
The approach is obviously timely, given a looming trade war between Canada and the U.S., with the latter country threatening to slap Canadian exports with a 25-per-cent surcharge.
Buying locally-made goods is being seen by many Canadian consumers as a way to hit back against the tariff threat being led by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“It’s been an interesting day, with customers wanting to know (what goods) are made in Canada,” Postuma said.
Long before the threat of American tariffs loomed large, the value of the Canadian dollar was weak vis-à-vis the American greenback. On Monday, the loonie dipped below US 70 cents.
Buying Canadian insulates local consumers from the loonie’s fluctuations, Postuma noted.
“The value of the dollar isn’t a factor.”
He said he’s hoping the current tariff situation will cause Canadians to “wake up” and take note of where consumer goods are made.
Meanwhile, as Ontario’s provincial election campaign entered its second week, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner called for the creation of a “Buy Ontario” strategy, as well as a fund “for businesses disproportionately impacted by tariffs.”
