Election Day 2025

Shopping and buying from small independent business

 

OLD PARK PHARMACY

I first set foot in Old Park Pharmacy as a driver for National Drugs in 1985. The levels of service and the friendliness of the staff are just the same with the new staff 40 years later. John, the pharmacist and owner of Old Park, gave Outlaw Radio an interview today. We spoke of the advantage of shopping at independent pharmacies over the large big-box drug stores. I want to thank John for his time. If you live along Eglington Ave West, stop by and say hi to John and see how well you will be cared for.

Old Park Pharmacy is located at 1042 Eglington Ave West in Toronto.

https://studio.youtube.com/video/nBtWm3ula34/edit

Poverty is Strangling Our Cities

It is the Easter season, and with the election finally upon us, maybe it is time to reflect on Canada's most major problem today. The consequences of not dealing with the catastrophic levels of poverty in this country are beginning to become deeper and destabilising to the Canadian economy as a whole. 

With each downturn, more and more Canadians fall between the cracks, and either fall all the way into homelessness and starvation. Or remain buried in an endless spiral of debt.

The economy can no longer sustain a dying middle class or massive income inequality in our country. With the US government's expansionist policies triggering an economic recession, Canada is forced to move decisively and rapidly to prevent the Canadian Economy from collapsing..

Both mainline parties' lines of thought are to provide substantial tax cuts to those already in control of most of Canada's wealth. Trickle-down economics has been a failure from day one and has created such a wealth gap that those who work for a living are trapped in an endless cycle of debt and poverty.

With corporate profit margins tightening, companies are raising prices to maintain the same profit levels for shareholders. We have reached the point where the bottom income earners and middle class combined can no longer sustain a vibrant economy, and Canada is failing. 

Working wages must increase, and corporate profits must be taxed more. To accomplish this, the first order of business is to make offshore tax havens illegal.

Secondly, the complete removal of corporate ownership of large-scale rental buildings. This was undoubtedly an election issue, but unless pressed, I feel no party will respond in kind.

Finally, a guaranteed annual income fully indexed for those most affected by the relentless poverty they are experiencing. 

This is just a start in dealing with the problems we are facing. It seems that, as global citizens, we keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again because this has happened before, starting in 1929.

Canada can build itself stronger;, the people just have to remain vigilant in order to save it. 

.

Goderich Lighthouse View

Today is my last day in Huron County, and tomorrow, I will board a train from London to Toronto, Ontario, Canada's largest city. 

I thank all in Huron County for the warm welcome and memories we will be able to share through this journey. Most of all, I want to thank my friend Patty, who spoiled me while I was here.

Toronto promises to be an adventure. I'm looking forward to seeing friends and acquaintances and getting good videos and interviews while I'm there.

Off to Toronto as the Outlaw again rides into the sunset.

Taking a trip to The Whole Pig

 

Yesterday, we went to Dashwood, Ontario, to visit Martin and Theresa Van Raay at The Whole Pig farm and meat shop. Theresa was so kind as to spend the time talking to us about the Whole Pig.

 

Martin and Teresa have been running the business for 15 years and are also garlic producers.

Teresa and Martin Farm York Landrace pigs, which they send to Conestoga Meats in Breslau, Ontario, for slaughter. They also take back primal cuts to process and sell in their store. The store sells many other local products and sauces from the Garlic they grow.

If you are in Dashwood, please check out The Whole Pig. Teresa and Martin will be Happy to help you find what you want. The quality is first-rate, and the taste is over the moon. 

 For more information, you can find The Whole Pig at www.thewholepig.ca., If you find yourself or live in Huron County,, stop by and pay them a visit.. Your local dollars buy far more for the community than you imagined. 

We here at the Outlaw want to thank Teresa for her time and all the excellent quality products The Whole Pig sold to us and produces for the marketplace.

Remember To Support your Local Producers and Growers!

Buying local Continues Today

 

I have been resting in Grand Bend and am looking forward to the next two weeks in Toronto, putting together more content on independent businesses and markets across Canada.  

It is great to see Canadians responding to the need to keep valued dollars within their local communities. I think they are now beginning to understand just how much our economic cycle at home means to the development of community initiatives.

Seeing the abundance of entrepreneurial spirit in our rural and urban communities is also great. Working to build businesses around new and innovative concepts and ideas. Most of us have forgotten how important creating and building a stronger Canada is.

In one sense, we can thank Donald Trump for giving us a wake-up call about how vulnerable our economy is.  

The federal Election is still in full vigour. Many have asked me what or who I will vote for, and I can not endorse any of the four. You see, the answer lies in the hands of those doing precisely what I'm writing about: building up stronger and more resilient local communities and economies. 

No matter who we vote for, and you should vote, everyone! I do not see a legislated end to the hunger, homelessness, and poverty we are seeing today. I feel in the bottom of my heart that all four parties are stuck in the fear that they actually did something and the end result would be defeat four years later. 

I much preferred the politics of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, when much was built in this country through consensus building between the main three political parties, unlike today's polarized political quagmire.

It is nice to travel and create content that people enjoy. However, even with that enjoyment comes the need to return to my Castor Alberta home. Canada is a great country from sea to sea and well worth fighting for. So, Elbows up, Canadians!

 

Buying Local Working for Canadians

 

 After what seemed to be a very long flight into Pearson Airport in Toronto from Edmonton, my body and brain decided to crash. I went to stay with friends in Grand Bend along Lake Huron and rest, prioritising what I wanted to take time to make content out of. I have so far covered a few independent businesses in the Huron region of Ontario. Toronto can undoubtedly wait till next week, and one more for good measure.

I had a wonderful time visiting the Fort Rose Maple Company Yesterday and hope that all of you take the time to watch the YouTube Video I was able to shoot at Fort Rose. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeIAUgU21dg&t=14s

Today, I stopped briefly at Hayter's Turkey Farm in Dashwood, Ontario. Unfortunately, I could not spend time with the owners on Video, but I was highly impressed by the size and diversity of their operation..  

Their store was stocked with a wide array of turkey products and other local Ontario products made by farmers and entrepreneurs across southwestern Ontario. https://www.haytersfarm.com/

Hayter's had so many different Ontario-based producers' products that it was extremely difficult to pick up just one product to take home to Alberta, so I finally settled on a bottle of Salad Dressing from The Garlic Box Facebook. I tried to access their website to get an interview, but it was down. Karen, Sarah, and Nathan will be up in June and can probably be in Formosa to visit the Garlic Box in person.

Buying local from local community-based businesses works on so many levels. It provides needed revenue and jobs within the community in which you live. There are so many options out there beyond your local Canadian grocery store. Canadian farmers, ranchers, producers, and food manufacturers in your neighborhood are there for you to support. 

I look forward to covering as much of Western Canada as possible during the summer and the coming year. So please feel free to drop us a line no matter where you are to recommend a Canadian Producer in your area, and we will do our utmost to get there to feature them.

Please do stop by our YouTube Channel, Outlaw Radio 1960 https://www.youtube.com/@VideoandRadip and like and subscribe to our channel. You can also follow us on Facebook or TikTok  (4)outlawvideoandradio (@outlawvideoandradio) | TikTok. Your support will be greatly appreciated. 

Grand Bend Power Waves