When words are deliberately misleading.

I was listening to the radio yesterday and learned something interesting.

Up here in Canada some products carry a label that says, "Product of Canada".

It's nice to know when something is made or produced in Canada, particularly if you are buying fruit or vegetables. I buy Canadian produce because I like the idea of supporting local growers, and I don't like the idea of buying "fresh" fruit that has been flown half way around the world to get here.

So imagine my surprise when I discovered that "Product of Canada" doesn't mean what I thought it meant.

Here's what it actually means:

At least 50% of the PACKAGING for this product was made in Canada.

Now, I know that government at every level has a habit of playing with words and their meaning. But this little gem has to take the prize for misleading people.

50% of the PACKAGING?

Maybe I could try something like:

Nick Usborne – born and bred in the USA!

(Actually, 50% of my clothes were made in the US. Which probably means they came from China.)