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Except when you're buying local, you're buying mostly imported products. I'm no fan of Amazon but you're swapping one middleman for another.
by knowitnone 2y ago
Except when you're buying local, you're buying mostly imported products. I'm no fan of Amazon but you're swapping one middleman for another.
- toomuchtodo 2y agoThe only way to send signal to commercial entities is economic. This is signal, and another middleman is likely preferable to Amazon (based on province goals, outcomes, and options available). Not a fan of Amazon? Don't give them subsidies, revenue, favorable treatment, etc.
- vdupras 2y agoYes, but if that new middleman has less "economy of scale" types of prices, then it makes truly local alternative compare better, no? In other words, let's say Amazon is 5% cheaper than all alternatives, including crude "aliexpress front stores" useless middlemen, banning Amazon won't make those stores magically cheaper. Therefore, it gives breathing space to all competition, including truly local alternatives.
- ivewonyoung 2y agoTaxpayers are burdened by that 5% in your example. Instead of enriching local rich people, just take that 5% and give to the poorest in the province as UBI.
- vdupras 2y agoSure, but the context is taxpayers being burdened with 25% tariffs and having to scramble for alternatives. The idea is to invest that hypothetical 5% to build resilience.
- ivewonyoung 2y agoTariffs are being placed by the US on imports i.e Canadian exports. Not sure how local resilience helps Canadian taxpayers against US tariffs since Canadian taxpayers and consumers are not going to pay the 25% tariffs, only Canadian exporters are affected.
- vdupras 2y agoThe logical consequence of those tariffs are counter-tariffs.