Canada Is Not For Sale
Canada Is Not For Sale is a Canadian apparel brand launched in early 2025 by Ottawa-based designers Liam Mooney and Emma Cochrane of Jackpine Dynamic Branding. It is best known for a red baseball cap bearing the brand’s slogan in white lettering, created in direct response to trade tensions and U.S. remarks suggesting Canada become the 51st state. The cap quickly became widespread after Ontario Premier Doug Ford wore one at a First Ministers’ Meeting, leading to tens of thousands of sales and extensive coverage in outlets such as Reuters, The Guardian, The New York Times, CBC News, The Globe and Mail, and New York Magazine.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
History
The "Canada Is Not For Sale" hat was created in January 2025 after rising U.S. tariff threats and annexation rhetoric prompted the designers—Mooney and Cochrane—to develop a visual symbol of national solidarity.[1][2]
Initial production involved imported hats and toques manufactured overseas with embroidery completed in Toronto.[7] In March 2025, the creators announced a transition to offering apparel fully manufactured in Canada for domestic customers, including hats, toques, hoodies, and t-shirts.[6]
Public Visibility and Endorsements
On January 15, 2025, Ontario Premier Doug Ford wore the hat at the First Ministers’ Meeting in Ottawa, crediting its creators in public remarks and promoting it on social media.[8] Other public figures reported to have worn or endorsed the hat include pollster Jean-Marc Léger, entrepreneur Arlene Dickinson, and municipal leaders such as Jim Diodati, mayor of Niagara Falls.[2]
Actor Mike Myers wore a Canada Is Not For Sale t-shirt on Saturday Night Live in March 2025, an appearance that was widely reported in Canadian media.[9][5]
Media Coverage and Cultural Context
The brand has been discussed as part of a wider cultural and political phenomenon in Canada. New York Magazine described it as emblematic of a nationalist mood in response to U.S. trade disputes and annexation rhetoric, noting over 50,000 units sold and its proliferation in both original and imitation forms.[5] Fashion critic Vanessa Friedman of The New York Times characterized the design as “a ubiquitous symbol that is visually arresting and appropriates it with an entirely different message.”[3]
The hat has been part of notable news events, including an incident in April 2025 when a Toronto Blue Jays fan was ejected from Rogers Centre for wearing one, prompting a public apology from the team.[10]
Trademark
As of January 2025, the creators have sought Canadian trademark protection for "Canada Is Not For Sale" and have taken action against unauthorized reproductions.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lone, Wa (January 24, 2025). "'Canada is not for sale' hat goes viral after Trump threats". Reuters.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Cecco, Leyland (January 18, 2025). "'A small act of patriotism': Canada's anti-MAGA hats go viral". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Friedman, Vanessa (April 3, 2025). "The Anti-MAGA Hat Goes Global". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Azpiri, Jon (February 19, 2025). "Company behind 'Canada Is Not For Sale' merch sends cease-and-desist to B.C. retailer". CBC News.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 van Zuylen-Wood, Simon (July 14–27, 2025). "Canada Is Not For Sale". New York Magazine.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Pringle, Josh (March 5, 2025). "'Canada is not for sale' hats now made in Canada, Ottawa-based company says". CTV News.
- ↑ Deschamps, Tara (January 24, 2025). "'Canada is not for sale' hat offers tough lesson in domestic manufacturing". Toronto Star.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedCP24 - ↑ "Mike Myers protests Trump by sporting a 'Patriotic' hat on Saturday Night Live". The Globe and Mail. March 2, 2025.
- ↑ Mather, Victor (April 1, 2025). "He Wore a 'Patriotic' Hat to a Blue Jays Game. It Got Him Ejected". The New York Times.
