You're right that the Canadian brand represents quality.
Branding in this world is difficult and costly. We have attempted to raise that through the Canadian Furniture Show, which we own. We have a website that lists about 70 Canadian manufacturers, and we get a lot of hits on that because people are looking for quality Canadian furniture. The site refers you to the websites of the companies, and there you can find the furniture.
There is a tendency in the States of reshoring in furniture manufacturing. It's perhaps more an intent at this point, as opposed to a reality, but many consumers are experiencing what you have just said. They thought they were getting a deal, but three years later it's on the sidewalk. That's not a deal. It's a deal for the person who sold it to you, but not for you.
How do we get around that? Consumer needs have changed and consumer desires have changed. Perhaps the youth of today don't want to buy a bedroom furniture set that will last 38 years. Perhaps they want to put their money elsewhere, so it's finding this in-between.
As far as branding Canadian is concerned, there is an opportunity to raise that profile. How do we do it? It's not something that can be done individually as a company or as an association, but only as part of an overall government effort to promote “Made in Canada” and manufacturing in Canada.
What I'm saying about furniture being representative of quality is not just true about furniture; for most of the manufacturing in Canada, if it's not quality, it's not surviving.
Yes, I think there is something that can be done about raising our profile. When you see that something is made in Canada, that means it is good and you're getting value for your money.