Wandering Women: North of 50

09/09/2026

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CANADA’S TIME TO SHINE The Canada–US trade war is forcing us to reconsider where we spend our money. For women 50+, one of the most powerful, and enjoyable, choices we can make is to travel Canada. Choosing Canada keeps our dollars circulating through Canadian hotels, restaurants, attractions, a...

09/09/2026

THE TRADE WAR IS REACHING THE KITCHEN TABLE

The Canada–US trade war is no longer confined to political speeches and negotiating rooms. Its effects are beginning to move through warehouses, workplaces, small businesses and household budgets.

For women 50-plus, the pressure may arrive from several directions at once.

Higher tariffs can affect clothing, appliances, electronics, furniture, personal-care products, food, vehicles and home repairs. Even Canadian-made goods may cost more when manufacturers rely on American parts, ingredients or packaging.

The changes will not appear everywhere immediately. Retailers will first sell inventory purchased before the tariffs took effect. Faster-selling products may be repriced first, while appliances and other durable goods could take longer.

Watch for disappearing promotions, smaller packages, substituted ingredients and new “tariff surcharges.” Check whether the specific product is actually tariffed before assuming every price increase is connected to the dispute.

Income may not keep pace. OAS and GIS are reviewed quarterly for inflation, while CPP is adjusted annually. Workplace pensions, private savings and wages follow different schedules. This could create a period in which household costs rise before income catches up.

Employment is another concern. Manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, food and beverage production, retail and tourism are among the areas to watch. Warning signs include reduced shifts, cancelled orders, hiring freezes, delayed investment and temporary shutdowns.

For an experienced worker in her late 50s or early 60s, a layoff can become an unplanned early retirement rather than a temporary interruption.

Women who own small businesses may face higher input costs, weaker consumer demand and cash-flow pressure. Caregivers may feel the impact across several households as they support aging parents, partners and adult children.

Preparation begins with information. Know which major purchases may be affected. Monitor workplace and supplier notices. Understand the rules for EI, Work-Sharing, tariff relief and business financing. Above all, preserve flexibility while tariffs, exemptions and negotiations continue to change.

Ottawa has announced approximately $7.5 billion in added worker and business supports. Canadians should now watch for government action in five areas: employment assistance, business liquidity, tariff exemptions, inflation-linked benefits and consumer price transparency.

The next major date is September 29, when new US restrictions on certain Canadian alcohol, dairy products and motorcycles are scheduled to begin.

Buying Canadian can strengthen domestic businesses and jobs. But patriotism does not cancel affordability.

The real measure of this trade war will not be found only at the negotiating table. It will be found in grocery aisles, paycheques, pension deposits, small businesses and the decisions women make around their kitchen tables.

09/08/2026

If you haven’t yet advertised in North of 50, this is your opportunity. Advertising space in our upcoming edition is already 75% sold out, but a limited number of full-page ads and advertorials remain available.

Space is limited. To reserve a full-page advertisement or advertorial, contact Susan directly at [email protected].

Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this unforgettable Canadian edition.

09/03/2026

You cannot insult your visitors then wonder why they stop coming.

This week, President Donald Trump met with leaders from America’s largest airlines, hotels, resorts and travel companies. Their goal is ambitious: attract 100 million international visitors annually by 2030.

But first, they must stop the “Trump slump.”

The numbers are sobering:

• International visits to the United States fell 5.5% in 2025 from 72.3 million to 68.3 million.

• Arrivals fell another 4.7% between January and July 2026.

• The United States welcomed roughly 400,000 fewer foreign visitors this June than it did one year earlier even during the FIFA World Cup.

• Overseas arrivals fell 7% in July.

• Canadian residents made 5.5 million trips involving the United States during the first quarter of 2026 down 10.6%.

• Canadian spending in the United States fell 13.6%, to $5 billion.

The U.S. travel industry estimates that reaching 100 million visitors could generate another US$81 billion in spending and support more than 400,000 American jobs.

But setting a target is much easier than restoring trust.

When I became Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, I recognized that I was responsible for a $75-billion group of sectors containing some of Canada’s most recognizable brands from Air Canada and major hotel chains to the Raptors and Blue Jays.

During the pandemic, these sectors were among the first hit, the hardest hit and the last to recover. They also supported jobs in virtually every community. Nationally, tourism, culture, sports and entertainment form an economic ecosystem worth more than $200 billion.

Donald Trump is now learning the same lesson the hard way.

When travel and hospitality are threatened, the damage reaches far beyond airports and hotels. It hits restaurants, attractions, artists, retailers, sports organizations, border communities and hundreds of thousands of workers.

Canadians still appreciate America’s beaches, theme parks, sports teams and family connections. But for more than a year, I have warned that Canadians would increasingly choose Canada over the United States.

I previously estimated that redirecting just one-quarter of our U.S. travel spending could keep roughly $5 billion in Canada and support 44,000 Canadian jobs.

Now we know this is not simply a Canadian reaction. America has an international confidence problem.

The World Cup could not reverse it. Neither the Olympics nor America’s 250th anniversary will automatically repair it. Travellers have choices and perceptions of safety, affordability, predictability and welcome matter.

Canada should seize this moment.

We offer extraordinary destinations, diverse communities, a dependable workforce and something increasingly valuable in international tourism: a reliable welcome.

President Trump should remember a basic rule of hospitality and diplomacy:

You create a stronger hospitality industry by actually being hospitable.

09/03/2026

Congrats! 🎉 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

09/02/2026

Five sectors that will learn an expensive lesson in this Canada - US Trade War and the four things they can do to win loyalty and make sales with women 50+ consumers.

09/02/2026

We hope you can join Lisa and I on the Expedia Cruises - Air, Land & Sea Vacations AmaWaterways river cruise Oct 24-31st. NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT!! Only $6750 single occupancy. Veterans and Military receive additional 5% off. Susan Details on the previous post Wandering Women: North of 50 North of 50 Veterans' Foundation

08/31/2026

Sail the Seine. Stand on Juno Beach. Travel with Canada.

You can change your port your plans for an unforgettable holiday.

If the trade war has you reconsidering a cruise departing from the United States, join me, Lisa MacLeod, and Susan Truppe for a Canadian experience in France.

North of 50 Magazine invites you aboard the AmaDante for a seven-night Seine River cruise, October 24 to 31, exclusively chartered for Canadian travellers by Expedia Cruises.

With a Canadian cruise director and excursions designed around Canadian interests and history, we’ll explore the Seine and visit Juno Beach and other D-Day sites connecting with the stories and sacrifices that helped shape our country.

Your fare includes all onboard meals and drinks, daily excursions, gratuities, Wi-Fi and port fees. There are no additional booking fees.

And serving military members and veterans receive five per cent off this sailing.

Space is limited. If your next cruise begins at a U.S. port, this could be your moment to chart a different course.

Visit RiverCruisesOttawa.ca or call Lynnie Zunder at 613-290-5756.

Cruise with Lisa and Susan.

Sail the Seine. Stand on Juno Beach. Travel with Canada.

7-night Seine cruise on AmaDante from Paris to Vimy Ridge, with guided tours, gourmet dining, w**e, and French towns.

08/30/2026

PATRIOTISM HAS NOT CANCELLED AFFORDABILITY

Picture yourself in a grocery aisle with two comparable products.

One is Canadian. The other costs less.

You want to support Canadian workers and businesses. But you are also thinking about the gas tank, hydro bill, retirement savings, an aging parent, an adult child or the refrigerator making that ominous noise.

This is how a trade war moves from the negotiating table to the kitchen table.

The choice is not between patriotism and indifference. It is between competing responsibilities.

Abacus Data found that 64% of Canadians aged 60+ often or almost always choose Canadian. But when the Canadian option costs noticeably more, 50% choose Canadian in some categories and the cheaper product in others.

This is where patriotism and household management collide

As Abacus Data put it to respondents: “So much feels out of my control, but how I spend my money is one thing I can control.” Fifty-eight per cent of Canadians 60+ agreed.

Here are five decisions women 50+ may now reconsider.

1. HOUSEHOLD BUDGETING
Overall inflation reached 3.0% in July, while gasoline prices were up 25.7%.
The trade-off is whether to pay more for a Canadian product today or preserve room for medication, caregiving, savings and unexpected expenses.

Supporting Canada should not weaken your financial security.

2. GROCERIES
Grocery prices rose 3.1% year over year in July, marking the 18th consecutive month in which grocery inflation exceeded headline inflation.
Certain American dairy products will face 25% Canadian counter-tariffs beginning September 8.

Women may choose Canadian when the value works, switch brands, buy on sale or choose the cheaper alternative when the gap is too large.
Ottawa’s removal of seafood from the new tariff list after hearing industry concerns shows why retaliation must be adjusted when it risks unnecessary harm at home.

3. APPLIANCES AND ELECTRONICS
If your refrigerator breaks, patriotism cannot keep the milk cold.
Appliances and electronics are among the sectors targeted by the September 8 counter-tariffs.

But a 25% tariff does not automatically mean a 25% price increase. Bank of Canada research found that approximately one-quarter of Canada’s earlier 25% counter-tariff reached retail prices.

Household appliance prices were 3.9% lower in July than a year earlier.
Compare prices, check where products were made and decide based on need—not fear. Repairing, waiting or switching may be better options.

4. CLOTHING AND BEAUTY
Canada’s consolidated tariff list includes existing 25% measures on numerous American-made cosmetics, skincare products, shampoos and women’s clothing.

In July, clothing and footwear prices rose 2.4% year over year, while health and personal-care prices increased 2.3%.

The trade-off may mean changing brands, buying less often, stretching a favourite product or waiting for a sale.

A familiar American label may manufacture products in several countries. Check the country of manufacture not just the brand name.

5. TRAVEL
Travel after 50 is not necessarily a luxury. It can mean visiting family, celebrating a milestone, finding companionship or finally seeing a long-postponed place.

Canadian return trips from the United States fell 25.4% in 2025.

Although cross-border travel began recovering, June 2026 trips remained 24.6% below their June 2024 level.

Affordability is also shaping decisions. Travel-tour prices rose 15.2% year over year in July, while air transportation rose 12%.

The answer may be to travel within Canada, choose a non-U.S. destination, shorten the trip or wait for better value.

Change the destination not the dream. (We just happen to have a cruise for you!).

Women 50+ may switch, spend, wait or walk away. Each choice can be financially responsible and deeply Canadian.

Businesses must understand this. “Buy Canadian” cannot become permission to charge any price. Canadian brands must offer value, transparency and trust.

Governments must understand it too. Dollar-for-dollar retaliation does not necessarily produce impact-for-impact protection.

Patriotism has not cancelled affordability.

It has made every household decision more consequential.

At Secord Strategies, we are following this trade war from the negotiating table to the kitchen table and examining what it means for women making many of Canada’s most consequential economic decisions.

All sources in the comments below.

08/29/2026

If your next cruise begins at a port in the United States, this may be the moment to reconsider your route—not your love of
travel.
From October 24 to 31, 2026, Canadians will travel together aboard AmaDante on an exclusive Canadian-hosted cruise
down the Seine. We will experience Paris and Normandy, with a special Canadian focus that includes the opportunity to
stand at Juno Beach and remember the Canadians who helped liberate Europe.
No U.S. port is required. No American cruise terminal. Just seven nights in France with fellow Canadians, thoughtful
excursions, beautiful scenery and a journey with real national meaning.
Sail the Seine. Stand at Juno. Travel with Canada.
Limited cabins remain. Learn more at www.rivercruisesottawa.ca or call Lynnie at 613-290-5756.