The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario spent C$278,910.71 on novelty hats bearing the slogan 'Canada is not for sale' during the province's election campaign last spring, newly disclosed public election finance filings show.
The hats, produced by Ottawa-based Jackpine Dynamic Branding, became a symbol of defiance after US President Donald Trump threatened to annex Canada. Ontario Premier Doug Ford wore the hat at a high-stakes meeting with other premiers and the prime minister, prompting a surge in online orders.
According to the Trillium, which first reported the spending, the party bought more than 600 hats at C$23.19 each before transferring them to the campaign. The company's owners, Liam Mooney and Emma Cochrane, initially struggled to meet demand but eventually produced tens of thousands of hats in Canada.
Ford and his surrogates frequently wore the hats during the February provincial election, in which the Progressive Conservatives won a rare third consecutive majority mandate.
