Justin, I was at Casino de Charlevoix in Quebec in 2000, and yes, the jetons were available for purchase in the gift shop. I was told that the other two casinos in Quebec - Montreal and, at the time, Hull (now Lac-Leamy) - had the same policy.

However, they were playable at the tables and could be cashed in. So even though they were sold in the gift shop, they had the same value as if they were sold at the cage.