Yes I realize that, unfortunately I believe the pros outweigh the cons when you consider Valve within the video game industry, especially vs Nintendo.
Steamdeck: Steam has PC gaming prices, ie. Regular massive discounts, especially on games a year or two old. Steamdeck also has access to alternate marketplaces, emulators, sideloading, etc. Want to buy from itch.io, GOG, etc? You can! Its a fully functional linux computer too!
Switch: locked into nintendo's store. Games rarely go on sale, never for much off. Charges $89.99 for a reskin of their old IP in literally every series and can't even be arsed to atleast hire voice actors for that price??? These games require ZERO effort on nintendo's part, zero imagination, and they continue to rake you over the coals like they are putting out AAA games. Closed off areas in supposedly openworld? Lame. Fog instead of rendering a beautiful landscape? Lame. Maybe if the switch wasn't made to be as cheap as possible and struggle with low fidelity graphics it would have a reasonable render distance.
Valve: online play is free for everyone since... ever? You already pay for internet why tf would you need to pay a membership to access online play, its not 2009 still is it? xbox live?
Nintendo: Ah yes, greed, thats why. $45 CAD/year for a "family" switch online membership, that increases every year, and you are still capped at 8 accounts? What if you have 7 kids and 2 parents that want an account nintendo? Think of the children.
I mean I could keep going on but do I need to? For any product/company in any market its worth thinking critically about what the options on the market offer, support, and represent. Not just oh I had a switch, better get a switch 2.
Valve may be US based legally, but they are certainly less of an abusive asshole murikkkan company than Nintendo IMO, who fully embraced US capitalism in every sense of the word.
Nintendo sucks. Both as ethically as humans and the quality of goods and games they put out.
Just get a steamdeck (or any linux (steamOS) handheld) and stop paying $89.99 for the same rehashed games from 1996. Plus absolute crap components on switches not designed for repair.
Can run emulators for any Nintendo IP you want to play without giving them another $90 everytime to feed their lawyers.
Unfortunately I don't have an answer for cast iron but I'd be interested too if anyone else knows a brand as I'd like to acquire a cast camp oven.
Have you tried a carbon steel skillet? Similar performance/use case for skillet sized stuff IMO but lighter. Not sure if there's a Canadian brand for commercially available carbon steel skillets either honestly; but plenty of euro options, or a local blacksmith could make one. I plan on attempting a small skillet myself once I get my smithy setup this spring.
And if your excuse is a remote area, Amazon is so slow at delivering knockoff goods, you might as well get anything you'd normally buy from amazon directly from Aliexpress et al if you can't afford made in Canada for some items. Atleast then you save 60% off Amazon, it arrives in 2 weeks with choice shipping, and Bezos doesn't get to be the middleman.
Maybe Canadian publishing houses should make the books in Canada intead then? You don't get a pass just cause you are an important industry IMO. The point is to cause change; without any outside motivator there is no reason for publishers to change.
For small bookstores idk maybe pivot to independent authors and whatever subset of Canadian publishers print in Canada in the meantime?
Many of CO-OP's house brand products including their toilet paper and paper towels are Made in Canada.
Western Family paper products seem to be as well, although I prefer co-op gold for this application.
Not sure if any other house brands are as well? FRANK stuff at Canadiantire is good quality but I don't have any to check the place of manufacture.
If they are shipping those with steamOS now that's a great option too, and avoids Valve.
If they are still shipping windonts versions I wouldn't bother yet.