I have still not understood why anyone would be interested in carrying spices, pickles and other food items to Canada! With the large ethnic mix there, I am sure everything is available without the complication of declaring on forms and in any case, you can hardly carry a lifetime's supply. So why bother ? What ever you carry will run out in a few weeks if not a couple of months.
I've travelled extensively in Europe and there is not a single country where we did not find Indian / Pakistani grocery stores, restaurants, halal shops, shawarma, doner kebabs among other things.