Only On The Walters Post!

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

Back in my day, if a man made his living here in Canada, he paid his share here; and it didn’t matter if he ran a small shop or worked the land, he chipped in, so roads were maintained and kids had a school to go to.

Now it seems the more money a person makes, the better they are at dodging the rules the rest of us have to follow. Some of these big outfits move their profits through overseas offices that are little more than post boxes. They say it’s legal. Maybe so, but it sure doesn’t pass the smell test.

I may be an old hand, but I know when someone’s greasing the gears. They dress it up with fancy talk, but the scheme’s plain as day. Work the loopholes, stash the cash, smile for the cameras.

Meanwhile, folks who do honest work are left footing the bill. And the ones who helped write the rules now claim they want to fix them. That’s rich.

I won’t name names. No need, as the ones doing it know who they are, and so do we. All I’m saying is, it’s time we stopped falling for smooth talk and started paying attention to where the money goes.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW

Only On The Walters Post

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

We’ve all heard folks talk about boycotting all kinds of different things. I’ve also seen people get riled up over American policies or political blunders. But we hardly ever talk about the real giant in the room, China, and just how deep our wallets are tied to theirs.

So let’s lay it out plain: here’s what China sells to Canada, and how much money we send their way for it.

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Top Imports From China to Canada (2023)

• Electronics (phones, TVs, tablets, etc.): $7.96 billion
• Machinery (including computers): $7.03 billion
• Vehicles (excluding trains): $3.65 billion
• Furniture & Lighting: $3.11 billion
• Plastics & Plastic Items: $2.44 billion
• Steel & Iron Articles: $2.27 billion
• Toys, Games, and Sports Gear: $1.74 billion
• Knit Clothing (socks, underwear, etc.): $1.35 billion
• Woven Apparel (jackets, pants, etc.): $1.04 billion
• Aluminum Products: $1.03 billion

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Notable Individual Items

• Mobile Phones: $9.22 billion
• Computers & Laptops: $6.56 billion
• Passenger Vehicles: $2.64 billion
• Vehicle Parts: $2.39 billion
• Heaters & HVAC Units: $1.84 billion

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The Everyday and Often Ignored

These smaller items are harder to track individually in dollar terms, but together they form a mountain: And I am sure there are many more.

• Hair combs, elastics, brushes
• Pens, crayons, pencils, erasers
• Buttons, zippers, sewing kits
• Umbrellas, plastic tarps, rain gear
• Socks, scarves, gloves, hats
• Kitchen gadgets, utensils, containers
• Tools, flashlights, batteries
• Toys in kids’ meals, party decorations
• Lighters, nail clippers, razors
• Eyeglasses, sunglasses, costume jewelry
• Mops, sponges, cleaning cloths
• Fake flowers, picture frames, wall art

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Total Spent (2024): $49.2 Billion

That’s what we gave them in one year, which keeps our local makers, tool shops, and craftsmen out of business. And there’s been a lot more since.

Looking at that, it just goes to show ya, what could be made right here at home in Canada, if we get back to being self-reliant. Just imagine what that money we give to China could do for us right here at home. Will it happen? Well it would, and can if our Powers That Be, would open their eyes.

Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW

Only On The Walters Post

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

It just don’t sit right with me, that every time a man works, puts in his hours, and then has to give part of it away before he even sees it. That’s not fair. The working man’s pay belongs to him, not the government.

The thing is, if folks could keep what they earn, they’d have enough to buy a decent home, fix up their truck, maybe even get the kids something useful like a new computer. They’d spend it in their communities. That’s how a country grows—not by taxing the hell out of the people who are actually doing the work.

Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t help the ones who really need it. Seniors who’ve done their time, folks who’ve got serious health problems, yeah, we look after them. That’s just being decent. But the rest? If you’re able-bodied, you should be working. Simple as that.

We’ve built a system where it sometimes pays better to sit still than to put in an honest day’s work, well, that’s backwards. There’s work to be done, and a country like Canada should be built on effort, not entitlement.

And while we’re on the topic, we also need to have a hard look at how many people we’re bringing into the country right now. Immigration isn’t the problem, it’s how fast it’s happening. Canada’s always opened its doors to folks looking for a better life, and rightly so. But we’ve got to make sure we’ve got the homes, the doctors, and the schools to support them first. Right now, we don’t. And bringing in more people than we can house or care for, only makes things harder for everyone—newcomers and long-timers alike.

This isn’t about turning folks away, it’s about making sure the welcome mat isn’t just a cover for a trap door. Let’s get our infrastructure back on track, make sure our own people aren’t struggling, and then we can talk about how many more we can bring in responsibly.

At the end of the day, we need to stop rewarding idleness and start respecting effort. A fair day’s pay should stay in the worker’s hands, not be filtered through layers of government waste or stretched so thin that no one’s needs get met properly.

Some folks will call this harsh. But what’s harsher, telling someone they’ve got to earn their way, or telling a working man that even after doing everything right, it’s still not enough?

Again… let the man/woman keep their pay, they earned it. That’s fair, something we could use a bit more of around here.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW

Only On The Walters Post!

You know, just a month back, you could hardly find a soul, with a kind word for the Liberals. Didn’t matter if you were sittin’ in a coffee shop, leaning on the counter at the feed store, or just jawin’ with friend and family. All that was on folks minds was that Trudeau was on his way out, and everyone was happy.

Fast-forward, here we are, not much time passed, and wouldn’t you know it, the same party, a different face, and folks now are humming a whole new tune. It’s like someone flipped a switch. Along comes Mark Carney with his smooth talk and big-city shine, and suddenly— it’s like the mess we just came through never happened.

The thing is, you can dress it up however you like, but it’s still the same old outfit underneath. Amazes me how some folks get dazzled by the wrapping, and forget to check what’s in the box.

And the real kicker? Most believe they’re makin’ up their own minds, when half the time, they’re just bein’ nudged along like cattle through a gate.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW

Only On The Walters Post!

These are my own thoughts from what I’ve seen and lived through. I’m sharing them to spark some thinking and honest conversation, not because I have all the answers.

We’re living in tough times, markets are dropping, tariffs are rising, and the world feels like it’s on edge. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that these kinds of storms aren’t new. We’ve been through hard times before, and we’ll face them again. The real question is: how do we handle it?

When the markets drop, people panic. They see the numbers and start selling off their investments, trying to save what they can. But while many are rushing to get out, the ones with the resources are quietly buying. They know the cycle, they know that after the storm, things will level out, and they’ll come out ahead. The game is set up this way—those with foresight win, while the rest are left holding nothing.

It’s frustrating, no doubt. The system often feels like it’s stacked against the everyday person. But that’s the lesson here: patience and resilience. The panic doesn’t win. The steady, long-term thinkers are the ones who get through the rough patches. It’s no different from what we’ve seen in farming and business: the hard work you put in today will pay off in the future, even if it doesn’t always look like it. I know my wife and I have been there.

In times like these, we need to remember what we’ve learned from the past. It’s not about waiting for someone else to fix things—it’s about relying on our own strength. We’ve got the tools, the wisdom, and the experience to weather this storm.

We can’t control the chaos, but we can control how we react. It’s time to focus on what really matters: our ability to stand strong, stay steady, and keep moving forward. We don’t need to depend on anyone else to pull us through. Or should we.

Until the next time, keep your minds open and your stories alive. GW