Janice R. Andrews
Ottawa, January 26, 2025 – A pair of Trump-critical Canadians has stumbled upon unexpected obstacles while launching their own version of the famed Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats. Liam Mooney and Emma Cochrane from Ottawa introduced the “Canada is Not for Sale” hat as a patriotic counter to former President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks suggesting Canada become the United States’ 51st state. Their ambitious venture has highlighted the significant challenges of maintaining a fully Canadian-made product amidst a struggling textile industry.
The inspiration struck on January 8 during a Fox’s Jesse Watters Primetime broadcast, where Ontario Premier Doug Ford firmly dismissed Trump’s proposal, stating, “Canada is not for sale.” Motivated by Ford’s firm stance, Mooney and Cochrane decided to take action. “We thought: ‘We have to do some small act of patriotism to respond to this big bluster,’” Mooney shared with CBC.
Their “Canada is Not for Sale” hats are priced at $45 USD, with matching beanies available for $40. Initially, the couple aimed to produce the hats entirely within Canada, supporting local industry and craftsmanship. However, they soon realized that the Canadian textile sector could not fulfill their production needs. “The base hat itself we have had trouble finding a supply of baseball hats that are fully manufactured in Canada,” Cochrane explained to CBC.
Faced with this hurdle, the duo began sourcing beanies from the United States and importing ball caps from countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, and China, according to CTV News. Despite these adjustments, the embroidery process is handled in Toronto, allowing them to produce around 1,000 hats each day. “Imagine you’re a snake trying to swallow a giant bowling ball. That’s what we’ve been experiencing here,” Mooney told CTV, illustrating the logistical nightmare of sourcing locally.
The high costs associated with domestic production, coupled with overwhelming demand, have left Mooney and Cochrane searching for sustainable solutions. Over recent weeks, they have reached out to various textile and apparel companies in hopes of forming partnerships to manufacture the hats entirely in Canada. However, the prohibitive costs and limited local manufacturing capacity have made this goal difficult to achieve. “We heard from a number of suppliers that it’s not actually something that people come to them with as a request very, very often, because it’s just so much cheaper to make it overseas,” Mooney added.
Currently, the couple has a limited inventory of fully Canadian-made hats but lacks a long-term strategy to maintain this level of production. Their hats are made-to-order with embroidery and subsequently shipped out of Toronto. “We are still searching for completely Canadian-made hats for a long-term solution,” Cochrane told CTV.
Since launching their website, Mooney and Cochrane have been flooded with tens of thousands of orders from Canadians eager to express their pride in maintaining national sovereignty. The response has been so substantial that prominent figures like Shopify President Harley Finkelstein and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have purchased their “Canada is Not for Sale” hats, with Ford even being photographed wearing one. The hats are available for purchase on Shopify, which is headquartered in Ottawa.
Mooney and Cochrane designed their hats as a creative rebuttal to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. “It’s an opportunity to bring people together from all of civil society, regardless of political persuasion,” Mooney told Reuters. Their goal is to foster unity and national pride through their merchandise, offering a counter-narrative to divisive political rhetoric.
The timing of their launch coincides with escalating tensions between Canada and the United States. Trump has threatened tariffs that could severely impact Canada’s economy, including increasing prices for oil and other goods in the U.S. This comes amid political instability in Canada, with Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau set to resign in March after nearly a decade in power and the opposition Conservatives leading in the polls ahead of a federal election later this year.
During a recent address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump emphasized the need for respect from Canada, previously referring to Trudeau as “Governor.” “Our sovereignty is threatened when our dignity is disrespected,” Mooney told Reuters. He highlighted the importance of international allies and friends in defending Canada’s autonomy.
Despite these challenges, Mooney and Cochrane remain dedicated to their mission. They continue to explore ways to support Canadian manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports. Their journey underscores broader issues within Canada’s textile industry and the difficulties of maintaining local production in a globalized market.
As the federal election approaches and Trump’s tariff threats loom, the couple’s hats have evolved beyond mere fashion statements—they represent Canadian resilience and the ongoing effort to preserve national identity amidst external pressures.
For more information or to purchase the “Canada is Not for Sale” hats, visit their Shopify store based in Ottawa.
