From 51st state pins to bumper stickers, there’s even a Canadian flag with an eagle covering the maple leaf.
Those are just some of the items you’ll find on amazon.ca if you type in the words 51st state in the search column. Page after page of apparel appearing to promote the annexation of Canada pops up for sale.
The items – many of which were first made available in January – allude to U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated statements that he would like to see Canada become a state, citing what appeared to be an inflated deficit and border concerns, among other things.
The selection of items was met with laughs, shock and, in some cases, disgust when CTV News showed the online products to people on the streets of Toronto.
“A lot of platforms try to do less in terms of what’s on their platform. Good, bad or ugly, they just kind of let it play out,” said retail analyst Bruce Winder.
Amazon’s offensive products policy states, in part, that items which promote, incite or glorify hatred and violence, or organizations with such views, will be removed.
CTV News asked Amazon Canada if the 51st state merchandise met their offensive product threshold. In an email, the e-commerce giant shared that none of the items found on their site breach their policies.
Winder adds that the products being sold on amazon.ca are “a free speech play in a way.” It’s not clear how many Canadians have purchased 51st state merchandise.
We were hard pressed to find any takers on the streets. One young woman joked that a 51st state flag wouldn’t match the aesthetic of her bedroom.
Many of the people who spoke with CTV News on the streets of downtown Toronto believe the items for sale on amazon.ca do in fact promote the annexation of Canada by the United States.
That said, Winder believes “there might actually be some people in Canada who might by this stuff. There are some people on social media who say, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s join.’”
Winder adds that right now, there’s an appetite for political merchandise, including items celebrating Trump’s ideas.
Duelling merchandise
There was, however, significant interest in apparel supporting the other side. A hat adorned by Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford bearing the slogan “Canada is not for sale” exploded in popularity last month.
Ford wore the hat during a public appearance to talk about Trump’s tariff threats. It was one of about 100 sold at the time, according to the hat’s maker, Liam Mooney, the founder and CEO of Ottawa-based Jackpine Dynamic Branding.
In the days that followed, demand ballooned. Two days later, Mooney said he was struggling to keep up with the 20,000 orders that came pouring in.
The demand was so overwhelming that Mooney would later compare the task of filling the orders to “a snake and you’re trying to consume a giant bowling ball.”
The company’s desire to manufacture the hat in Canada exacerbated the challenge, highlighting the country’s decline in manufacturing capacity since its 19th century heyday.
With files from CTV’s Luca Caruso-Moro
