One of the dumbest things I have seen recently......

These MPs are just shameless - by making this a political issue.

I wonder how many of these MPs wear all Canadian-made clothes in their foreign visits or trade missions. Maybe they should check their undies!!

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080502.wuniforms0502/BNStory/National/home

Hudson's Bay says it will review made-in-China Olympic uniforms

BILL CURRY

Globe and Mail Update

May 2, 2008 at 7:03 PM EDT

OTTAWA — Hudson's Bay Co. is offering to boost the Canadian content of its Vancouver 2010 Olympics gear after critics raised a stink over its largely made-in-China line for Team Canada in Beijing.

MPs from the opposition Liberal Party, Bloc Québécois and NDP were all shaking their heads yesterday after learning that the federal government did not ensure greater Canadian content in the contract, especially given the financial challenges facing Canada's textiles industry.

Instead, the uniforms from Hudson's Bay Co. will be 80-per-cent made in China, which is hosting this summer's Games and coming under increasing scrutiny over its human-rights record and high pollution. The Olympic wear sold in retail stores like the Bay and Zellers will be 90-per-cent made in China.

The Conservative government added its voice, saying they would have preferred to see the Canadian Olympic Committee ensure the clothes be made in Canada.

“We regret the decision to produce Olympic clothes offshore,” said Blair MacLean, a spokesman for Helena Guergis, the secretary of state for sport.

This is the second of four Olympic games in which Hudson's Bay Co. will be Canada's official clothier, after a $100-million bid in 2005 knocked off the previous supplier, Roots, which made a point of manufacturing its Olympic clothes in Canada.

“This is a no-brainer. This is our Olympic team,” NDP MP Paul Dewar said. “We should be ensuring that all of our Olympic athletes are proudly wearing Canadian-made textiles and all of their uniforms should be made in Canada.”

Mr. Dewar expressed hope the government and Hudson's Bay Co. will ensure the uniforms are made in Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

“Wouldn't that be an embarrassment to have our uniforms made in China or anywhere else for the upcoming Vancouver Olympics? So hopefully someone is doing their homework on that,” he said.

Liberal MP Denis Coderre said the issue is about symbolism.

“I think that we are missing a tremendous opportunity here,” he said.

Hillary Marshall, the director of corporate communications for Hudson's Bay Co., said the company turned to the Asian market, which has expertise in the organic, moisture-reducing fabrics needed for the athletes. She noted that the uniforms that will be worn by the athletes during the parade and on the podium will be 100-per-cent Canadian-made and all clothing is also 100-per-cent designed in Canada.

“We always prefer to buy Canadian,” she said, adding that most of the clothing industry has moved overseas. “We'd be very happy to sit down with the textile and garment manufacturers in this country now – because we're starting to plan for Vancouver now – and discuss how they can provide made-in-Canada product that meets costs, the enormous quantities and the technical requirements.”

Elliot Lifson, the president of the Canadian Apparel Federation, said it would not be difficult to find Canadian suppliers for the contract.

“The argument of not finding somebody [in Canada], I don't buy,” he said. “The argument … ‘I make it where it is the least costly,' I buy that. I'm in business.”

While it would have been a positive symbol for the athletes' clothing to be made in Canada, he said Hudson's Bay Co. should not be singled out for what it does with its retail line.

“Don't hang the Hudson's Bay out to dry. If you're going to do that, do that to everybody. We might as Canadians go out and hang ourselves, because that's what we're doing. What can I tell you? Go try and find a made-in-Canada label in Wal-Mart.”