Wal Mart = Anti-Canada, Anti Stratford

Why? Here’s why…. (thanks to Wal Mart Watch and studies from Uof Iowa and other Government sources)

98% of Wal Marts products are produced off shore. Sure, sure, Zellers, Target, Giant Tiger and others use some if not all of the same suppliers, but Wal Mart, since the 1980s forced their suppliers to provide such severe regular price decreases that all were left with no option but to move production off shore. Guess what, then everyone has to use those very same suppliers in order to compete. As the public got addicted to cheap foreign made products, it becomes tough to break the addiction. Not to mention, you lose the skill sets in Canada/US to return the production to without large scale investments.

87% of the sales generated and 99.9% of the profits are sent out directly to Bentonville Arkansas. Unlike your smaller, locally owned businesses where 70% of their sales dollars and 95% of their profits stay within the communities they operate within.

Wal Mart is a net liability to every community it moves into. They demand and force tax deductions and rebates or ‘roll backs’; they demand city paid road, sewer and service improvements, often for work that only needs to be done to service their single Wal Mart location. Also, because they pay at the bottom of the pay scales, offer the lowest benefits and burn through staff due to overwork and abuse, welfare roles and EI are often higher in areas where Wal Marts open- AFTER the store opens.

Wal Mart will not increase employment. In fact, in every city under 75,000 in population that a store is built in, there is a net retail unemployment increase in the range of 2.5 to 5% over a 36 month period. Stores such as Zellers, Giant Tiger, Sears, Zehrs, Sobeys, are immediately impacted. Then smaller stores, such as those owned by small local retailers begin to lose market share and they too start to shut down, costing further jobs.

Wal Mart is NOT a community supporter. In most locations, the average money returned to the community represents less than $200,000.00. The average in Stratford, of funds raised that go to charities, schools, groups etc exceeds $4,000,000.00 per year. As we begin to lose our locally owned businesses, we will lose our communities ability to support itself, and those that need that support.

So, every time you shop at Wal Mart, you are showing your true colors. You show that money is more important than people; you confirm that you support foreign manufacturing; you prove you hate Canada and Stratford and your neighbours- because you don’t want them to have jobs, good jobs, long lasting jobs. Rather, you want cheap, foreign made products. Good for you- bad for your city and country.

Shop local, support local, be a good Canadian.