Sexy Friends Toronto

McStupid - Canadian Flags Made In China

Should the Ontario government be purchasing Canadian flags that are made in China?

  • Yes

    Votes: 13 21.3%
  • No

    Votes: 36 59.0%
  • Don't Care... The World Is Going To Hell Regardless

    Votes: 12 19.7%

  • Total voters
    61

calloway

Active member
Feb 25, 2003
13,476
0
36
Luv Natural Redheads
Do you agree that it's absolutely a disgrace to have Canadian flags handed out by government officials that are made in China?

How can Premier Dalton McStupid claim that he is not responsible for this... it's taxpayers money!

If you wish to buy a Canadian flag at Walmart or Niagara Falls... go knock yourself out. But for the Ontario government to do this is an embarassment.

Your opinion?


Made in China flag an 'insult'

New Democrat Peter Kormos literally wrapped himself in the flag yesterday after getting a shipment of Ontario Red Ensigns with a made-in-China tag on them.

"This just boggles the mind," the MPP from the struggling manufacturing town of Welland said yesterday.

"I can't give this flag away in the riding of Welland, so many workers have lost their jobs. I would have this flag thrown back at me, thrown at my face.

"It would be an insult for me to give this flag to any community group in Welland."

Kormos said he orders flags through the Ontario legislature every year and for the past 12, they've all come from Flying Colours International Scythes Inc., on Sterling Rd. in Toronto.

Last year the locally produced, 81x162 cm version cost him $18 a pop. The new, overseas version he just received cost $13 each, feels and looks thinner and less bright in colour and has a less well-rendered version of the province's venerated maple leaf cluster.

"This is shameful, it's embarrassing, it's pathetic, it's rude, it's insulting," Kormos said.

"I just have no possible way of expressing how frustrating and angry it is for me to discover this.

"I will be attempting to return these flags and I will once again be ordering from Flying Colours International. I encourage all the other MPPs to do the same."

Ontario's manufacturing sector has been savaged over the past four years, losing an estimated 300,000. Those numbers have accelerated in the past few months as the global recession takes its toll.

Sylvia Nemanic, executive director of administrative services for the legislature, said purchasing at Queen's Park is done strictly on the basis of the best price available, and that there hasn't been any "buy Ontario" preference for years.

"We take competitive bids and award it to the company with the most competitive bid," she said.

"That's what we would look for -- the price. We would not ask where they were made. We wouldn't specify that."

MPPs don't have to buy through the legislature if they choose not to, she said.

Karman Wong, a spokesman for Premier Dalton McGuinty, said the government doesn't tell the legislative assembly how to operate.

"This is not a decision made by the government and it's not something we support," she said.

"We make sure that the flags used for the premier's events are manufactured in Ontario."

Just last week, the Liberal government sternly rapped its lottery corporation's knuckles over a plan to give away luxury Mercedes-Benz cars, even as Ontario-based automakers tottered on the edge of bankruptcy.

Observers pointed out the Benzes are made with Hamilton steel, another struggling industry, but the optics of the situation forced the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. into retreat.

Speaker Steve Peters, who oversees the legislature operations, conceded the flags are a similarly charged issue.

"More and more we're extremely conscious of trying to support our own economies," he said. "Something that is symbolic like the provincial flag -- to see that with the tag of being made in another country does set off some alarm bells. It sends a message."
 

lomotil

Well-known member
Mar 14, 2004
6,556
1,423
113
Oblivion
It is unfortunate that the Canadian manufacturing sector is that non-competitive that even a provincial government would have to outsource manufacturing of their own provincial flags. Yet this is just a sign of the times, where cheaper foreign labour takes away domestic jobs. However, would the Canadian taxpayers who feel outraged about Chinese made Ontario provincial flags like the government to purchase made in Canada flags at a higher cost, resulting in higher taxes? The relatively huge salaries, benefit packages, bonus etc. of the average N. American worker will continue to force the outsourcing of jobs. One cannot suck and blow at the same time.
 

plunker

New member
Jan 19, 2004
382
0
0
toronto
Its confusing but it sounds like he buys the flags out of his own pocket as giveaways in his riding but buys them through the legislature in order to save money? How would McGuinty be responsible for that? Regardless, if he is getting publicly procurred items, then of course they will be competitively bid and whoever has the lowest price gets the order. Its like that for all forms of government purchasing. What he should be bitching about is why the Ontario company is not competitive and what the government can do to help local manufacturing stay globally competitive.

You are suggesting the legislature spend more money than they already do?
 

buckwheat1

New member
Nov 20, 2006
1,064
0
0
I find it interesting that over the years here MOST people complain about there personel and home taxes and when someone wants to save a buck they complain. I do however believe at least they should be made in Canada maybe not Ontario
 

spankingman

Well-known member
Dec 7, 2008
3,648
323
83
Flag Flap

Kormos like mosr NDP Politicos is a grandstander. Always has been always will be. One of the rules of business is to find the BEST PRICE for what you want. The best price happened to be in China at this time.

On a radio show this morning that was talking about this subject it was learned that the Chinese Consulate in TO buys China flags from a Toronto manufatcuring firm so I guess its even.
 

red

you must be fk'n kid'g me
Nov 13, 2001
17,572
8
38
When we complain about buy america rules do we think that we believe in free trade or is it because we believe in double standards?
 

Prim0

Meh
Aug 12, 2008
791
0
16
I say you spend your money where you get the best value!

Then again...the official car of the US Ski team used to be the Subaru.

Go figure.
 

landscaper

New member
Feb 28, 2007
5,752
0
0
steeverus said:
I'm pretty sure the premier has bigger fish to fry then actually worry about some stupid flags and where they're made.
It is not just the stupid flags, its the shit storm that is erupting around them. Most things yes you want the best price for but the odd thing not so much, provincial and federal flags are one o the things that are probably cheaper overseas but the publicity that follows the " wrong " purchase is not worth the pennies saved
 

Larry_Fyne

New member
Feb 8, 2005
755
0
0
landscaper said:
It is not just the stupid flags, its the shit storm that is erupting around them. Most things yes you want the best price for but the odd thing not so much, provincial and federal flags are one o the things that are probably cheaper overseas but the publicity that follows the " wrong " purchase is not worth the pennies saved
What shitstorm? I would rather the government spend the money as economically as possible. Yes they are made in China but they are distributed through a Canadian company - there is some employment.

The only shitstorm is the wacky Peter Kormos trying to stir up crap now that the NDPs have a new leader. It is just political posturing to get the NDP in the front pages. It works, the Toronto Star jumped on it as did the wacky left-leaning TERBites. It's a non-issue.
 

hunter001

Almost Done.
Jul 10, 2006
8,635
0
0
It just isn't the price, they mentioned a difference in the quality. While the government should try to get the best price available the should comprise on quality. It is an embarassment to have government officials have out national flags are of inferrior quality.
 

dj1470

Banned
Apr 7, 2005
7,703
0
0
Of all the things to worry about these days in Ontario THIS is what makes news?

People losing their jobs and pensions.
People getting sick/dying from tainted food and water.
People killing each other for illicit drugs.
People divorcing at a rate of 65%.
People realizing child poverty is at 1 out of 4 kids.
People worried about terrorism.

And here in Ontario it's "flags made in China = bad"

So very pathetic.:(
 

calloway

Active member
Feb 25, 2003
13,476
0
36
Luv Natural Redheads
vsailor said:
I really don't give a shit where they buy the flags but can you imagine the absurdity of an Ontario politician handing a "Made in China" flag to an unemployed auto or steel worker???
Unfortunately I can.
 

SilentLeviathan

I am better than you.
Oct 30, 2002
909
0
16

oldjones

CanBarelyRe Member
Aug 18, 2001
24,486
11
38
Please Note: The story in the OP clearly states the flag in question is NOT the Canadian flag, but the Ontario Red Ensign, and it is the Speaker, not the Premier who's responsible.
Wouldn't want people stirring up their tempest in the wrong teacup now, would we?
Carry on.
 

oldjones

CanBarelyRe Member
Aug 18, 2001
24,486
11
38
calloway said:
You're kiddin right?

What is exactly is Dalton McStupid responsible for then? The economy?
Hey, you posted the story. It's quite clear there that the flags were ordered thru the Legislature office which is headed by the Speaker (and independent of the Premier)

Or did I miss an attempt at humour?
 
Jan 22, 2008
268
0
16
But there was no problem when ROOTS made all our Olympic stuff offshore for TEAM CANADA.........and try and find something from HOCKEY CANADA made in CANADA.........we just won 5 straight WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS and there is not one item you can buy from them made here!!!
 

alexmst

New member
Dec 27, 2004
6,939
1
0
The flags handed out by government of your own country should be made in your own country. Who wants to get a Canadian flag that has a "made in China" sticker on it when we have companies in Canada making flags as good or better.
 
Toronto Escorts