Oh Canada!

As February begins, the days are still frigid, with sidewalks dangerously icy and the sun barely showing its face. It’s easy to imagine a holiday in the south.

Well the news from Florida is not great on the weather front. There have been lots of cold winds and rain, not suitable for days on the beach. Vacations are also hampered by last year’s Hurricane Milton, which swept along the gulf coast downing trees and homes along the beaches, so much so that the recovery is still in progress. Add in the low value of the Canadian dollar, (yesterday’s rate was 69 cents) and people are having to be very thrifty. Apparently going out anywhere, to a restaurant for example, is as uncomfortable as it is expensive. Diners never know who is sitting beside them, maybe with a gun hidden in a purse. Conversation is strictly limited: no mention of the Gulf of America, or vaccines, or identity issues, or plane crashes, or the price of oil. Or tariffs.

So, many snowbirds are returning home early. And do we have fun in store for them! There is enough snow to take grandchildren tobogganing, the curling clubs are operating, and the outdoor skating rinks are rock hard. If you want to go farther, you can try the ski hills an hour’s drive away where the snow is not even man-made. Or head to Ottawa where you can skate on the canal for the first time in a couple of years. Or take a train to Quebec and stay at the Chateau Montebello. Enjoy the outdoors and spend your money in Canada, where it belongs.

Or do some other Canadian things. Right now there is an endless number of political candidates just waiting for you to help win their election. Provincial or Federal? Take your pick. There are lots of opportunities: phone jobs, canvassing, mailing, setting up lawn signs with a drill in freezing ground. Or go to the Chocolate Show being held this coming Saturday at the Toronto Reference Library. Tickets are required, but what a fun thing to enjoy – non-stop chocolate from 10 to 4.

Then there’s shopping. Take your weekly grocery list to Joe and Maria’s No Frills. Joe and Maria are Canadian citizens. Check out their labels: many products are grown or produced right here in our country. Indulge in some Alberta beef or Nova Scotia lobster or maple leaf cookies. Switch from Florida orange juice to apple cider. It’s delicious warmed up on a cold day. If you need a lift, add a little Crown Royal.

Many of us older folks like to visit malls where we can get exercise and stay warm in the winter. But these days it’s helpful to do a little research before shopping. Read those labels and buy Canadian. Go to Indigo and get Linwood Barclay’s latest murder mystery. Have a coffee at the Danish Pastry House, run by a Danish entrepreneur who brought her skills to Canada. For clothes, walk past Talbot’s and head for Aritzia. You’ll look great in those ripped jeans and brand-name tees. OK, maybe that’s pushing it a bit.

But you get my drift. As long as American tariffs are even being mentioned, we need to spend our money on us.

Sue