If you can’t stand to bear ‘Tariff Tuesday,’ you can always send a message to President Donald J. Trump by buying a “Canada is not for sale” T-shirt, ball cap or tuque — made in China or elsewhere around the world.
These terrific products are for sale at the EH Canada Store in several Greater Toronto Area malls including the Erin Mills Town Centre where their famous giant grizzly bear is donning a red hat with slogan and sporting a shirt.
“EH Canada was founded with a mission to create a quality Canadian goods and clothing brand that celebrates our deep appreciation and pride for this great land,” it states on their web page. “Our journey began in 2018 with the establishment of our first store. Since then, we’ve expanded, opening additional stores across Southern Ontario.”
It’s a great store at any time and popular with tourists. So many great things in there related to Canadiana.
Like the LCBO planning to take American bourbon and wine off their shelves, these pro-Canada products offer Canadians who don’t want Canada to become the U.S.’s 51st state to make some sort of statement. It’s not perfect but it seems better than booing The Star-Spangled Banner at hockey or basketball games.
Their webpage says its founder and owner is Vince McLeod, who was “originally born in Toronto and raised in Beaconsfield, Quebec to a French-Canadian mother and a Jamaican father” who was “introduced to the diversity of culture that helps makes Canada so special” and who enjoys “exploring the vast beauty of Canada” and “indulging in and spreading the joys of what this great land has to offer.”
The store shows that passion. It’s a fun place. Pure Canada.
And this is a neat and, arguably, appropriate product line at this time, when Trump’s 25% tariffs have created a trade war between countries that have traditionally had a robust trading relationship. But when you look closely at these “Canada is not for sale hats and shirts,” you will see they are made in places like Mexico, China and Bangladesh.
This is common among all retail outlets in any mall. It’s not a knock on them. It’s just what Canada’s economy has become. There are other products in there that are made in Canada and it’s an outstanding retail outlet that should be supported.
“EH Canada is a 100% Canadian-owned and operated store. We strive to have the majority of our products made in Canada,” explains its website.
The ones I saw were not made in Canada but some of them said the artwork was “designed” in Canada.
While ironic, in fairness, the spirit is there. It’s a start.
Who knows, perhaps this tariff fight will end up being a positive thing for Canadian entrepreneurs and workers.
As Premier Doug Ford said Monday on the goal on shopping Ontario: “I’m asking politely until I implement (legislation — every retail store, when you go look at the shelf … we need to see a Canadian flag on that price” and “there’s nothing we can’t build here in Ontario, absolutely nothing.”
Meanwhile the woman working in the EH Canada store said the new theme is selling well. You are starting to see people wearing these hats, caps and shirts on the subways and, of course, many saw Canadian comic legend Mike Myers donning a tee on Saturday Night Live this past weekend.