Karlin's thread on mugs made in China reminded me of this story from the other day.
MONTREAL -- Although it likes to boast about being ultra-Canadian, the Royal Canadian Mint has the cases for its collector's coin sets made in China.
In fact, workers have to tear off the "Made in China" stickers found on the back of the cases that are imported for the Crown corporation.
Sun Media found out firsthand last week that more than half a dozen people work in a dusty Montreal warehouse where they remove the small, golden and oval-shaped stickers.
After receiving an anonymous tip, a Le Journal de Montreal reporter showed up at the company called Noble Gift Packaging Inc. last week and was hired.
"We have a problem with an order," the supervisor who received the order said as he explained the work overflow that required the reporter to be hired "for a few days."
After being told he would be paid by an obscure personnel agency, the reporter was escorted to the back of the huge warehouse.
The temporary employees were told to remove the stickers and repack the cases in boxes.
Sun Media learned at the factory no fewer than 30,000 cases from the mint's 2008 collection were modified in this way.
One employee said the stickers on the rest of the 100,000 cases would be removed in China before being sent to Canada.
Christine Aquino, the Royal Canadian Mint's communications director, said the Crown corporation had not requested the removal of the stickers and had not been advised such an operation had taken place.
Based on what she was told by her supplier, she said the cases normally arrive in Canada without ''Made in China'' stickers.
Aquino said that under Competition Bureau rules, the mint does not have to tell customers where the cases are manufactured.
As the final portion of the work is done here -- putting Canadian-struck coins into the cases -- a China sticker is not required because the overall product is considered Canadian, Aquino said.
Noble management refused to explain why the "Made in China" labels were removed from products it made for the mint.
"I don't think that it's anyone's business. I won't even confirm whether we do business with the Royal Canadian Mint," said a Mr. Herzog, who withheld his first name.
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/National/2007/10/16/4579360-sun.html
MONTREAL -- Although it likes to boast about being ultra-Canadian, the Royal Canadian Mint has the cases for its collector's coin sets made in China.
In fact, workers have to tear off the "Made in China" stickers found on the back of the cases that are imported for the Crown corporation.
Sun Media found out firsthand last week that more than half a dozen people work in a dusty Montreal warehouse where they remove the small, golden and oval-shaped stickers.
After receiving an anonymous tip, a Le Journal de Montreal reporter showed up at the company called Noble Gift Packaging Inc. last week and was hired.
"We have a problem with an order," the supervisor who received the order said as he explained the work overflow that required the reporter to be hired "for a few days."
After being told he would be paid by an obscure personnel agency, the reporter was escorted to the back of the huge warehouse.
The temporary employees were told to remove the stickers and repack the cases in boxes.
Sun Media learned at the factory no fewer than 30,000 cases from the mint's 2008 collection were modified in this way.
One employee said the stickers on the rest of the 100,000 cases would be removed in China before being sent to Canada.
Christine Aquino, the Royal Canadian Mint's communications director, said the Crown corporation had not requested the removal of the stickers and had not been advised such an operation had taken place.
Based on what she was told by her supplier, she said the cases normally arrive in Canada without ''Made in China'' stickers.
Aquino said that under Competition Bureau rules, the mint does not have to tell customers where the cases are manufactured.
As the final portion of the work is done here -- putting Canadian-struck coins into the cases -- a China sticker is not required because the overall product is considered Canadian, Aquino said.
Noble management refused to explain why the "Made in China" labels were removed from products it made for the mint.
"I don't think that it's anyone's business. I won't even confirm whether we do business with the Royal Canadian Mint," said a Mr. Herzog, who withheld his first name.
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/National/2007/10/16/4579360-sun.html
