I do have a lot of new things to add post-strike, but things have been absolutely insane with the so-called "semester completion strategy". In fact, I had officially completed my semester as of noon yesterday when our grades were officially due, but then a bunch of students suddenly decided that 1pm was a great time to mention that they really *meant* to hand in those late assignments and pleasepleaseplease could I mark them anyway?? Well, if that's you, you suck. You'll have to sweat it out until Monday. Be glad that I'm taking the weekend to think about it, otherwise I'd readily tell you where to stuff those assignments.

Anyway, I'm posting because, not having to teach today, I've been watching news channels for the last 16 or 17 hours and have been inundated with the Tim Horton's Goes to Afghanistan story.

Don't you just love how "Canadian" this story appears to be? Well, hate to break it to those of you of the uneducated (i.e. don't ever read anything) sphere, but Tim Horton's is not Canadian!! I know, you've probably been sucked in by the brand imaging and visioning from this company's latest commercials... like the young guys and the old couple each going across Canada from opposite directions, stopping at each donut shop along the way.. or my "favourite", the Asian gentleman watching his son play hockey while he finally overcomes the akward relationship with his academically-agressive dad (who'd been watching his own son play hockey for years).. yeah, yeah, yeah so Tim Horton's is Canadian and is symbolic of multiculturalism, coffee, hockey, etc.. NOT!!! They are just playing with your consumption-ready brains!! Check it out - Tim's is owned by Wendy's International, an American company. Just because the first store was in Hamilton (on Parkdale, and still there, trust me, I've been there many times) and their headquarters in Oakville, means shit. The guys who make all the extra profits off the underpaid teenaged and elderly staff are American. You know what that means: it's only a matter of time before children in China are getting paid 2 cents a day to make donuts...!!!

So, for all of those fantastic Canadians out in Afghanistan and other overseas locations, we're proud of you and grateful for your efforts and hard work so far away from home. If Tim's makes your day, well then great, all the power to ya'. Just remember that it's only being served by Canadians. The product is not manufactured by Canadians or grown by Canadians; your hard-earned money is not going towards a Canadian company. But with sincere honesty I do wish happy coffee-drinking to you, and safe travels to all those serving, both in the Canadian military and those serving non-Canadian coffee to Canadian military personnel.

Posted by Alex @ 05/08/2006 02:46 PM EST

Well to be fair they WERE Canadian, they just, in Canadian fashion, got bought off.

Posted by rei @ 09/18/2008 09:27 PM EST

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