ERIN 鈥� A local flag shop is reaping the benefits of the on-again, off-again trade war with the U.S., as consumers scramble to purchase Canadian products.
Since United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 1 imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all goods imported from Canada, businesses in the country have been forced to adapt.听
But Tammy Quantrell, president of Kennedy鈥檚 Flags in Erin, couldn鈥檛 be happier.听
鈥淚 love when people get patriotic and support each other,鈥� she told the Advertiser.
Quantrell noted customers began buying more Canadian flags than usual on Feb. 15, which is National Flag of Canada Day.
It’s been 60 years since the inauguration of the flag on that date in 1965.
Canadian flag sales did not return to normal following Flag Day. Instead they were buoyed by tensions with Canada’s southern neighbour, and more specifically Trump and his supporters.
As Trump鈥檚 tariff threats became a reality 鈥� they’ve since been withdrawn or delayed at least two times 鈥� more customers 鈥渇elt they should be flying the flag,鈥� said Quantrell.
She’s noticed a 70 to 75% increase in Canadian flag sales alone.
鈥淧eople are still calling and ordering,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think they are feeling a little bit more proud to be Canadian.鈥�
Kennedy鈥檚 Flags has been around since 1947.
Quantrell鈥檚 family bought the business in 1987 and has been selling Canadian-made products ever since.
鈥淚 am a huge advocate for buying local and buying Canadian,鈥� she said.
鈥淣ot only because I have a business, but I know there鈥檚 other places out there that need us to buy Canadian …
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 fantastic when the country comes together and gets patriotic.”
Flag trends 听
Quantrell has also noticed a jump in sales of Ukrainian flags, starting when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
鈥淓very Child Matters鈥� flags have also been popular in recent years, she added.
Those flags, and the accompanying movement, aim to raise awareness of the harms caused to Indigenous children by residential schools in Canada.
In general, overall sales fluctuate at Kennedy’s Flags, Quantrell said, but the Canadian flag is always the most popular, outselling others by a 10-to-one ratio, even in more “normal” times.
In second place is the Ontario flag and in third is the Royal Canadian Air Force Ensign flag.
