<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a cafe owner in his dispute with Canada's food authority after they demanded he destroy an $8000 shipment of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/vegemite" rel="" target="_blank" title="Vegemite"><span>Vegemite</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Leighton Walters, who runs an Australian-style cafe in Toronto, Canada, said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency had ordered him to stop selling the iconic Aussie food because it has added Vitamin B - in breach of regulations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Now Anthony Albanese has weighed in on the dispute, today saying "I stand with the Aussie cafe owner."</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/climate-anxiety-what-is-it-rising-tide-protester-alexa-stuart/eb8f9558-3e00-4060-9a6b-2ca0afabc48e"><strong><span>Alexa is so worried about the climate it's given her 'eco-anxiety'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I can confirm here today that I am pro-vegemite, and indeed, I actually put a lot of Vegemite on my toast when I ate bread," Albanese said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I love vegemite, it's a good thing."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The PM then took a dig at Vegemite's British cousin Marmite - which seemingly escaped Canada's food laws.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/pm-stands-with-canadian-cafe-owner-on-vegemite-dispute/4f1dd2c3-6f48-4fa6-a9f3-84f68add5a29" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's rather odd that they're letting Marmite in – which is rubbish, frankly."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Let's be clear here, pro-Vegemite, anti-Marmite. That's my position."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The stoush first emerged in January when cafe owner Walters was told that Vegemite did not comply with Canadian food regulations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/taco-bell-to-close-stores-in-australia/bd2f402f-32ea-4839-9685-2c96cf1b54fa"><strong><span>Popular fast food chain to leave Australia</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a social media post last Friday, Walters pointed out that some major Canadian retailers were still allowed to sell the spread.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Despite Amazon and major grocery stores continuing to profit of the sale of Vegemite and similar products like Marmite, for some reason, our genuinely Australian/Canadian coffee shops offering a healthy slice of home away from home, is seemingly worth targeting," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I don't expect Canadians to care about Vegemite, I know it's an acquired taste, but the principle and double standard doesn't make sense to me, and it doesn't seem right.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As someone born with a Birth Defect, this is deeply personal.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Vegemite is high in B Vitamins and Folate, that helps minimise the likelihood of babies being born with conditions like mine and living through the pain my family and I have throughout out my life so far."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite that contradiction, the Canadian food authority told Canada's </span><em><span>CBC</span></em><span> that the added vitamins in Vegemite made it ineligible for sale.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><em><span>CBC</span></em><span> was told that Vegemite sold in Canada must be altered to meet regulations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bega Group, the company that produces Vegemite, has been contacted for comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></a><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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