Product of Canada my ass !

See CBC Marketplace video here

Think that a food product is Canadian because it says "Product of Canada" on it? Is ice cream made from Canadian milk products? You will be shocked to find out the real answers...

It says "Product of Canada" on the package, but the food is really from China. Or New Zealand. Or...

Eating local is hot this year. Restaurant menus across the country boast of fresh local meat and produce. Bestselling books encourage us to take up the "100-Mile Diet."

Almost everywhere, there's a growing sense that it would be smart to reduce our consumption of food that's traveled halfway around the world.

Partly this is about flavour, and the idea that less travel means fresher food that tastes better. Partly it's about safety: being sure that food from where we live is subject to Canadian standards and inspections. Partly it's about supporting farmers who live nearby. Partly it's about using less fuel for the sake of the planet. So there are plenty of reasons to look for the "Product of Canada" label in the grocery store.

But here's the thing. "Product of Canada" doesn't actually mean the food is from around here. All it means, legally speaking, is that at least 51% percent of its production costs were spent in Canada. As Wendy Mesley's report reveals, sometimes "Product of Canada" has been to three continents before it lands here.

Also: Ever heard of "butteroil-sugar blend"?

Courtesy: CBC Marketplace