We can’t take this lying down
On The Way
By Olivia Fowler
According to a report from the Canadian Broadcasting Company, an investigation is under way regarding a smuggling operation involving Canadian law enforcement officers who are believed to be illegally transporting American goods across the border into Canada.
No, it isn’t drugs, liquor or porn.
It’s mozzarella cheese. Evidently there’s a fortune to be made here.
The American-made cheese, used as a common pizza topping, can be sold for triple the U.S. price to Canadian pizzerias and restaurants.
A driver can pack enough case loads of cheese into a vehicle to make $1,000 to $2,000 per trip.
Not all pizza restaurants are interested in buying the cheese from America. One owner reportedly isn’t interested because he says the American-made cheese is inferior to the Canadian product. Now that is interesting. Apparently he doesn’t have a problem with buying illegal cheese. The only thing holding him back is the taste of the cheese. So now, our cheese isn’t good enough.
In order to have a fair take on the cheese taste issue, a broader sampling would be necessary.
There’s something screwy about this situation.
The Canadians have access to affordable prescription drugs. We, on the other hand, don’t. But we can buy prescription drugs legally from Canadian pharmacies at very affordable rates.
They can afford drugs but they can’t afford cheese. We can afford cheese but we can’t afford drugs.
The cost of dairy products in Canada is high because pricing is controlled through quotas and other regulations. Canadians are allowed to bring American-made cheeses into Canada legally, but there is a Canadian tax applied and a cap on the quantity.
For some reason, prohibition comes to mind. Fortunes were made when it was illegal to buy liquor. It would come as no shock to discover more liquor was transported and sold during prohibition than after the law was repealed.
Human nature being what it is, the best way to get a person to do a thing is to tell them they’re not allowed to do it.
I suppose if Kool-Aid were outlawed, people would be willing to risk everything to get their hands on it.
We hope there will be a speedy resolution of the Canadian cheese caper and that justice will be done for all. I just hope the Canadians will not have to give up pizza.