Few items of clothing have come to exemplify American far-right nationalism in the twenty-first century as much as Donald Trump’s red “Make America Great Again” hats. However, this week, the beloved – and reviled – headwear appeared to have met its match.
Before a high-stakes meeting with Canadian leaders to prepare for American tariffs, Ontario Premier Doug Ford walked into the summit wearing a hat emblazoned with the defiant message “CANADA IS NOT FOR SALE”.
Canadian leaders are still scrambling to respond to the threat of a trade war with their closest ally if Trump follows through on his promise to impose punitive tariffs on all Canadian goods and services.
And in the midst of a national crisis, the novelty hat has emerged as an unexpected symbol of unity.
“It’s been a wild and surreal few days” for the hat’s creators.
Liam Mooney, who runs a design firm in Ottawa with his fiancee Emma Cochrane, said the hat was created as a direct response to a viral Fox News segment in which host Jesse Watters mocked Ford about Trump’s threat to annex Canada.
“If I were a citizen of another country and I was a neighbour of the United States, I would consider it a privilege to be taken over by the United States of America,” Watters told the mayor of Toronto.
Mooney and Cochrane were “shocked” by the hostile interview and spent the next few hours formulating a “creative rebuttal” to Trump’s threats.
The end result was a cap with a Canadian-designed typeface and a straightforward but strong message. “It was a small act of patriotism to respond to these big threats and this big bluster,” Mr. Mooney stated.
Online sales increased steadily, but the momentum accelerated when Ford wore his cap to a regional leaders’ meeting on Wednesday and later posted a link to the online store.
Since then, the couple has sold over 45,000 hats. More than 150 were purchased in the United States.
The Conservative Ontario leader’s appearance with the hat drew praise from his political opponents in Canada, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly.
“I WANT THIS HAT!!!!!!!!” Catherine McKenna, the country’s former Liberal environment minister, posted on X. “And thank you Doug Ford for being a leader on #TeamCanada.”
Even Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, a progressive who frequently disagrees with Ford, said he loved it: “Great hat, I hope they make that in orange.”
(Mooney, eager to capitalize on the moment, claimed he had spent hours ensuring Kinew received a hat that matched the colors of his left-wing New Democratic party.)
The threat of a devastating trade war has compelled Canada’s political leaders to put aside policy and ideological differences, with the majority presenting a united front.
“Canadian pride is something we can truly rely on right now. And there are few things that bring Canadians together more, for better or worse, than our southern neighbour,” Kinew said following the premiers’ meeting with Trudeau.
However, the need for a united front has increased after the rightwing premier of Alberta, an oil-rich western province, appeared to go rogue, refusing to sign on to a joint communique with other leaders and the prime minister.
Danielle Smith did not attend the Ottawa meeting in person, but rather virtually; she was also absent from the press conference with Trudeau and the other premiers.
Canada remains the largest energy supplier to the United States, shipping approximately 60% of its crude oil, nearly all of which comes from Alberta.
As a retaliatory measure, federal ministers and provincial leaders, including Ford, have considered blocking energy exports such as natural gas, oil, and electricity.
Federal ministers have also suggested that Canada impose tariffs on critical mineral exports to the United States, such as uranium, potash, germanium, zinc, nickel, copper, and graphite.
Smith, whose provincial economy is dependent on oil exports to the United States, has spoken out strongly against the proposal.
“Until these threats cease, Alberta will not be able to fully support the federal government’s plan in dealing with the threatened tariffs,” she posted on the internet. ”
Alberta will not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor will we support a ban on exports of these products. We will take whatever steps are necessary to protect Albertans’ livelihoods from such destructive federal policies.
The position has divided Conservative leaders, with Ford, who oversees a C$1 trillion economy, becoming increasingly frustrated with Smith’s refusal to consider halting energy exports.
“It’s her choice. “I have a slightly different theory: protect your jurisdiction, but country first,” he told reporters, warning that “we cannot have division” in the country.
“You can’t let someone hit you over the head with a sledgehammer without hitting him back twice as hard.”