Features
MK Global Trade offers local businesses the opportunity to engage in barter with hundreds of other businesses
By BERNIE BELLAN
With the crippling effect that the Covid pandemic has had on the economy, and with so many small businesses suffering either to the point of having to scale back operations or even close down completely, many business people have been looking to alternative ways of doing things.
As a small businessperson myself, I have always been interested in the concept of barter – of trading service for service or goods for goods. Recently I happened to be talking with Martin Kahan, owner of MK Global Trading, which is a well-known barter operation based out of Winnipeg.
I said to Martin that I would like to interview him about his business. I’ve known Martin since we attended Talmud Torah together back in the 1960s, but I had never profiled him in this paper. Considering that barter as a concept is older, in fact, than money itself, but there are relatively few companies engaged in arranging barter transactions between different companies, profiling Martin Kahan is something that has long been overdue in this paper.
I spoke to Martin in the middle of January. I began by asking him how he became involved with barter.
Martin said: “I originally got involved in the late 80s and early 90s…I didn’t even know it was barter…because I was doing business in – of all places, Ukraine, and we were doing different trades with them – myself and a couple of other people.
“What I realized very quickly was that money wasn’t the be-all and end-all. Sure, they needed money, but to make certain things happen I was told: ‘Maybe you can supply sugar, for instance, because I’ve got this guy over here and this guy over there and in order to make a deal to work I had to please everybody.
“So that was my first inauguration, so to speak, in what I call ‘multi-directional barter’.
“In 1997 I was approached by a company called Barternet. That was one of the first barter companies in Manitoba. How they got a hold of me I honestly have no idea, but they did. They suggested I come work with them and I helped build their company.
“It was an interesting relationship, to say the least. I ended up leaving there after four years.
“In 2001 I started working for another company called Canadian Barter System – worked there for about six and a half years – helped build up their company. We parted our ways at that point and, here I am then – 54 years old, and asking myself: ‘What should I do? I don’t want to work for anyone else any more’.
“I decided I’ll throw caution to the wind and I’ll start my own little barter company, thinking it was just going to be a small company. That’s when I created MK Global Trade (in June 2007). One deal led to another deal, one client led to another client and over a two-year period we became a pretty good-sized company – about 260 companies as members.
“Eventually Canadian Barter Systems – the company that I had left, went out of business, and we just kept on growing. Today, here we are: We’re about 640 local businesses.
“Further, we are interconnected with barter exchanges across the country, so we literally have representation all the way from Montreal to Vancouver.”
At that point Martin began to explain more fully how MK Global Trading works:
“Most people think they understand barter; they don’t. Most people think barter is one on one – I have this, you have that and, that generally works if both parties have what the other needs.
“What happens if the other one doesn’t have what the other one needs? Then the system doesn’t work.
“In our system we have 640 companies that you can use a combination thereof to pay for the things that you’d otherwise be paying Canadian dollars for. We use a currency called trade dollars (or trade credits).
“Something else to bear in mind is that everyone in our network is another business person. If you do a good job for someone, regardless how you get paid for that job, at the end of the day if they’re happy with you as a business person they’re going to tell others about you.”
I asked Martin how barter is treated for tax purposes.
He said: “Some people may wonder about the CRA and barter. Their (the CRA’s) perspective is they don’t care how you get paid so long as legitimate invoices are issued, and as long as taxes are collected and submitted.
“This is how it works with MK Global: Every single account is assigned a broker. (There are three different brokers in the office.) Our jobs as brokers is to present you the opportunity to do business with someone you’ve never done business with before. At the same time we’re interested in bringing your company more business.
“One of the things that has given me the most satisfaction over the years is the close ties we have formed with the local business community. Ninety-nine per cent of our clients are local businesses. They’re not the big box stores; they’re just local, down to earth businesspeople. Our objective from day one has been to work with them – to give them support so that they can get additional business that they would otherwise not be getting.
“At the end of the day they can be just as productive as the big box stores; they just don’t have the budgets to market themselves.
I asked Martin how much MK Global charges for its service: He answered: “We charge a five per cent commission when any company buys or sells something on MK Global.”
In return for that commission, Martin notes that “even though everyone these days is online, we tell people to be in constant contact with their brokers so that if you need something, just reach out to whoever is in charge of your account. Just send us a text, an email, phone us – that additional five percent is for us to be your ‘walking through the Yellow Pages’.”
I wondered how his business has been affected by the pandemic.
Martin responded that there have been two noticeable effects: “The total volume of business has gone down” – because there’s been a general wide scale drop off in most sectors of the economy as a whole.
But, at the same time, Martin notes, “our base of clients has actually increased by some 80 odd clients since March of last year. Again, people need to do something. They need to buy, they need to sell, they need to be active.”
Something that MK Global has done to help new clients is drop the initial entrance fee of $300 – and keep it off until things begin to return to some sense of normalcy.
“Our volume every year is in the millions of dollars. We know that the higher our volume the more we’re contributing to the economy.”
One other thing that MK Global has also done recently is completely revamp its website, MKGlobalTrade.com. The site provides an easy-to-understand explanation how its system works. It also has a complete listing of all its members, broken down by different categories.
These days all companies are having to innovate in ways that they might not have even considered doing prior to the pandemic. Barter offers an interesting and potentially lucrative method of increasing business at very little cost.
Features
Football: Which team from Israel could we see in the European Cup next year?
With Europe’s club competitions heading into another summer of drama, Israeli football is on the table. The domestic season is done, trophies picked up and now a new batch of clubs can now try their luck against continental competition.
What are the prospects of these teams in Europe next year and who are they? It all starts with Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s title, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s cup win and the competition of the best Israel football teams against each other, as fans look to Champions League on Wincomparator to see what teams are in contention.
How Israel’s clubs qualify for Europe: The 2026-2027 spots
Qualification to join the European elite hinges on the 2025-26 Israeli Premier League table and the Israel State Cup. Israel will have one Champions League spot, one Europa League spot, and two Europa Conference League spots in 2026-27.
That means the league winner gets into the Champions League, the State Cup winner goes on to Europa League qualifying. The next eligible league’s finishers take the Conference League slots. It’s a good model as it provides a tangible reward for consistency at home, while at the same time demonstrating the importance of each playoff game. A top three finish can help a club’s summer, bring in better players and provide fans with a European tour before the next season’s start.
The Champion’s quest: Israel’s hope for the Champions League
Meet the 2025-26 Premier League winner: Hapoel Be’er Sheva
Hapoel Be’er Sheva have qualified for Israel’s Champions League after their Israeli Premier League title win with 79 points scored in 36 games. Ran Kozuch’s side closed the gap on the three-point lead but also showed significant strength in the attacking phase to secure a win in a crucial championship round with Beitar Jerusalem.
Their challenge also comes as their reward. Hapoel Be’er Sheva are only expected to begin in the second round of the Champions League, not the league round. To get to the main competition they need to pass through the first round of the other national champions in two-legged ties, and their seeding, fitness and sharpness in early-season competition could be a game breaker.
While the club has experience in Europe and a rabid Turner Stadium following, the path is tough. It takes one bad outing to wipe out a year’s worth of work. However, as long as the bedrock remains the same and they are able to put some depth into the team, the champions have the balance to fight.
Battling in the Conference League: Israel’s other European contenders
The State Cup winner and league runners-up
Maccabi Tel Aviv go to Europe after the Israel State Cup final 2-1 win against Hapoel Be’er Sheva at Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem. That win denied Be’er Sheva a home double, and also meant that Maccabi got into the Europa League qualifying, where they were put in the second qualifying round thanks to access-list rebalancing.
The Conference League qualifiers are Beitar Jerusalem who finished second in the league with 76 points, and Hapoel Tel Aviv who finished fourth with 60 points. The importance of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s cup victory lies in the fact that it unlocked the rest of the way in the league. Beitar’s season was particularly impressive as they scored 78 goals and lost just four matches. On the other hand, Hapoel Tel Aviv managed to remain above Maccabi Haifa in the final table standing, earning them a well-deserved European berth.
The Europa Conference League is no consolation prize for these clubs. It’s a realistic platform. Although there are still a few hurdles to navigate, Israeli sides consider this competition to be the most realistic one for European football in the autumn.
A look at past successes and future hopes
This group has reason for belief, based on recent history. Israeli teams can make significant nights in Europe, and Maccabi Haifa did just that, when they made it into the Champions League group stage in 2022-23, and then impressively took out Juventus 2-0 in Haifa.
There is significant monetary and sporting worth in qualification. A UEFA cup can make a difference to a club, as can better attendance, TV coverage and recruitment opportunities. The early storylines will be the draw for Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the Champions League, as well as Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa league and the two Conference League routes — Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv. They all have tricky paths to follow, but all four provide Israeli football with a realistic European presence next summer.
Features
At one time one entire block of McAdam Ave. was almost totally Jewish
This story originally appeared in a November 2014 issue of The Jewish Post & News:
1994 McAdam Ave. reunion (names inside story)By GERRY POSNER (This story first appeared in November 2014.)
Once upon a time when life was simpler and gentler, there was a street in the north end of Winnipeg which was like all other streets in the city except in one significant way. Everyone, but for one family, living on McAdam east of Main Street was Jewish.
Features
Cheap Weed In Canada: A Smart Shopper’s Guide
Since legalisation, cannabis has settled into Canadian life as an ordinary, regulated purchase. And like groceries or gas, the price can vary a surprising amount from one shop to the next once you start comparing.
For a lot of buyers, that has turned the focus to value. Affordable options like cheap weed prove a lower price and a tested, quality product can go together. This guide explains how to shop smart in Canada without cutting corners.
Why Has Affordable Cannabis Become So Popular?
Because the novelty has worn off, and buyers now shop like they do for anything else. In the early days, people paid whatever the new legal stores asked. That has changed.
A few things drove that shift:
- A maturing market, with more retailers competing on price.
- Online sellers, whose lower overhead keeps costs down.
- Savvier buyers, who now compare rather than grab the first option.
- A wider range of formats and budget-friendly bulk sizes.
The result is a real focus on getting value for money. Crowdsourced figures put the early average near $6.85 a gram, and cannabis price data from Statistics Canada shows how legal and illegal prices have differed since 2018.
That gap is exactly why shopping around pays off. A careful buyer can pay noticeably less than a careless one for a comparable product. The sticker price is only where the comparison starts.
How Do Canadians Shop for Cheaper Weed?
With the same care they bring to any regular expense. A handful of habits make the biggest difference. These are the ones worth adopting:
- Compare the per-gram price. It is the only fair way to weigh two options.
- Buy larger formats. Bigger quantities almost always lower the unit cost.
- Skip premium markups. Plain flower beats pricey pre-rolls for value.
- Watch for sales. Online retailers run them often, especially on holidays.
- Match potency to the plan. A stronger product means you use less each time.
None of these involve settling for a worse product. They simply put your money to better use, the same way you would stretch your money on any other purchase. The cheapest sticker is rarely the best value, and the priciest is seldom worth it.
The same logic applies whether you shop in person or online in Canada. Read the label, weigh the cost per gram, and let the numbers guide you rather than the branding.
Is There a Catch With Low-Priced Cannabis?
Not in the legal market, which is the part newcomers miss. In Canada, every legal product is tested and labelled to the same standard, whatever it costs.
That means a budget option from a licensed seller has cleared the same checks as a premium one. It is screened for contaminants, and its potency is verified. Price reflects branding, packaging, and store margins far more than basic safety.
The genuine differences are in the finer points. Premium flower might offer a better aroma or a richer flavour, and some formats simply cost more to make. For everyday use, though, a well-priced choice usually performs just fine.
The real catch is buying outside the legal system. Health Canada’s overview of the Cannabis Act is a sensible read on what legal really means. Buying legal protects you, not buying expensive.
What Makes a Cheap Purchase a Smart One?
A couple of quick checks, mostly. A real bargain holds up to a second look, while a false one does not. The table below shows what to weigh.
| Check | Why It Matters |
| Is the seller licensed? | Only legal retailers guarantee tested product |
| What is the per-gram cost? | The headline price can hide a weak deal |
| Is potency on the label? | Higher strength can stretch your money |
| Are there bulk or sale deals? | These usually beat single-unit pricing |
| What does delivery cost? | Shipping can erase an online saving |
Any shaky answer there is a reason to pause. A licensed seller with clear pricing and labelling is the safe choice, while a suspiciously cheap unlicensed source is not. The legal age applies regardless, at 18 or 19 depending on the province.
Treat cannabis like any other considered purchase. Compare, check the details, and let value rather than habit lead the decision. That is how modest savings add up across a whole year.
Before You Buy
- Cannabis prices vary widely by retailer, format, and store overhead.
- Comparing the per-gram cost is the fairest way to judge value.
- All legal Canadian cannabis is tested, so cheaper is not unsafe.
- Bulk buys, sales, and plain formats keep spending down.
- Always buy from a licensed source, and factor in delivery fees.
Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki on Pexels
Alt text: A shopper comparing prices online at home
Smart Savings, No Compromise
Buying affordable cannabis in Canada is not about chasing the lowest number you can find. It is about understanding what shapes the price and shopping with a little intention. Stick to licensed, tested products, compare the real cost per gram, and lean on bulk deals and online pricing. Do that, and an affordable choice stays a smart one, purchase after purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cheap Weed Safe to Buy In Canada?
Yes, provided it comes from a licensed retailer. All legal cannabis in Canada is tested for contaminants and labelled for potency, regardless of price. A lower cost usually reflects branding and overhead rather than weaker safety, so a budget option from a legal seller is still a safe one.
How Do I Find the Best Cannabis Deals?
Compare the per-gram price, buy larger formats, and watch for sales from online retailers. Checking potency against price helps too, since a stronger product can mean you use less. The key is shopping deliberately instead of defaulting to the same brand or store each time.
Why Is Cannabis Cheaper Online?
Online sellers usually carry lower overhead than physical stores, and they run sales and bulk deals more often. That lets them price competitively while still selling tested, legal product. Just remember to factor in shipping, which can offset the saving on a small order.
Does Paying More Mean Better Cannabis?
Not necessarily. Price reflects branding, format, and store margins as much as quality, and all legal product meets the same testing standards. Premium options may offer a better aroma or appearance, but a well-priced choice often works just as well day to day.
