We scour the aisles of our supermarkets — some of us wishing we had packed magnifying glasses — scoping backs of bottles of mayo and ketchup, rustling through lettuce leaves and strings of tomatoes, all in pursuit of mini labels and container descriptors indicating that we are purchasing product with Quebec or Canadian provenance.

That’s actually the easy part. Those in search of fruit and veggies not accessible from local hothouses must dive into bins of avocados and oranges to track down produce from Mexico and Egypt in order to avoid now-verboten U.S. counterparts.

Tariff wars have turned once-breezy 20-minute expeditions through our grocery stores into hour-long ordeals resulting in bloodshot, bleary eyes, but, damn it, we are making a statement of sorts.

So as I wait in line at the checkout counter, feeling like I’ve performed a most patriotic duty, a neighbour in an adjoining line innocently asks if I have checked out the origins of the dog and cat food I purchase for my hound Bob and my feline The Dart. And suddenly feelings of mild euphoria and proud hoisted elbows are replaced by sweat and nausea.

Ahhh! Bad Canuck! Never checked. Suffice to say, I spend more on pet food in a year than on artichokes and brussels sprouts, among many other vegetables.

So do many Canadians. According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the 12.2 million of us who own dogs and/or cats spent $6.6 billion on their food in 2024. An additional $122 million in pet food was shelled out by owners of everything from birds to fish and rodents to reptiles.

The same study indicated that Canada is a major player on the pet food........

© Montreal Gazette