Ontario premier Doug Ford's party spent nearly $300,000 on novelty Canada is not for sale' hats

"Dealing with the unprecedented threats from Donald Trump's threats to Canada's economy and sovereignty have required unconventional strategies from federal and provincial leaders, including barring liquor sales and cancelling contracts with Tesla. But among the more unorthodox strategies to hit back against the US is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on novelty hats. In January, sensing a marketing opportunity after Trump threatened to annex Canada, an Ottawa-based company began selling hats with the message Canada is not for sale in capital letters."

"Days later, Ontario premier Doug Ford a blunt-spoken, burly populist with a knack for politics entered a high-stakes meeting with other premiers and the prime minister wearing the hat. The move kicked off a frenzy of online orders and created a rare moment of political consensus. But Ford's love of the hat cost the province nearly C$300,000 (US$218,000), according to reporting by the Trillium."

"According to newly disclosed public election finance filings, the Progressive Conservative party of Ontario paid C$278,910.71 to Jackpine Dynamic Branding, the company producing the viral hats, during the province's election campaign period last spring. The party also transferred more than 600 hats bought for C$23.19 each before the election to the campaign, according to the Trillium. Liam Mooney, who runs Jackpine Dynamic Branding with his fiancee, Emma Cochrane, previously told the Guardian the couple wanted a simple but firm message with the hat."

Unprecedented threats to Canada's economy and sovereignty from Donald Trump prompted federal and provincial leaders to adopt unconventional responses, including political merchandising. An Ottawa-based company began selling hats reading 'Canada is not for sale', and Ontario premier Doug Ford wore the hat to a meeting with other premiers and the prime minister, sparking a frenzy of online orders and rare political consensus. The Progressive Conservative party of Ontario paid C$278,910.71 to Jackpine Dynamic Branding during the election campaign and transferred over 600 pre-purchased hats to the campaign. The couple running Jackpine sold tens of thousands of hats and eventually managed Canadian production after manufacturing headaches.

Read at www.theguardian.com