A patriotic resolve influenced the purchasing decisions of many shoppers in downtown Ottawa on Labour Day as Canadians braced themselves for a new round of counter-tariffs in the U.S. trade war.
Whether they were looking to exercise their red-and-white pride with an expensive pair of shoes, a simple cup of coffee or a souvenir T-shirt, ByWard Market retailers were ready for the influx of customers.
After all, the Market was one of the few Ottawa shopping areas open on the holiday Monday, and the bright, sunny weather was irresistible to residents keen to get outside on the last long weekend of the summer.
For many of those shoppers, the trade war was top of mind as the clock ticked down to a new round of counter-tariffs to be imposed on about $28 billion worth of American imports by the Canadian government.
“I do not buy anything American,” said Sandra Withers, 78, who was admiring the shoes at the John Fluevog store on William Street, accompanied by her daughter, Maria Longtin. “I haven’t even been there for four or five years.”
Longtin added that she had paid her first Canadian tariff on a product imported from the States, and didn’t want to do it again.
“I don’t understand why Americans don’t understand what a tariff is,” she said. “They don’t realize that it’s a tax on them. They pay more, and the government gets to keep the money.”
Fluevog, of course, is a fashion-forward Canadian brand founded in Vancouver in the 1970s, and known for well-made, art-deco-inspired shoes with a hefty price tag. Withers and her daughter, Maria Longtin, browsed and took photos to send to friends, but didn’t end up buying.
However, sales associate Klara Kajic said it had been a busy weekend, with parents bringing their university-aged children in for some back-to-school shopping. One group bought Fluevogs for each member of the family, she said.
“Some of the families are coming from different towns further out from Ottawa, maybe (where) it’s awkward to get to a Fluevog store,” Kajic said. “I find that when I start telling them it’s Canadian, they get so much more proud of the fact that these styles are as crazy as they are.”
Even in conservative Ottawa, she said, there are fashionistas who buy Fluevogs to flaunt their Canadian style without having to sew a maple-leaf patch on a backpack.
“A lot of people frequent this area who want an alternative, Canadiana kind of shopping experience,” observed Kajic, a recent graduate of Ottawa’s Richard Robinson Fashion Design Academy. The 26-year-old said she, too, prefers to work with Canadian brands whenever possible.
Few shops were brimming with as much cheerful Canadiana as Irving Rivers, the souvenir store emblazoned with the slogan, “We corner the Market.” Maple leaf-adorned flags, hats, T-shirts, magnets and much more lined the walls, and business was typically brisk.
“People are definitely coming in asking for the Elbows Up T-shirt or a Lake Ontario T-shirt,” said manager Michael Osterer, referring to two issues that have galvanized Canadians.
“Elbows Up” is the hockey-inspired rallying cry popularized by actor Mike Myers last year, while the Lake Ontario T-shirt pushes back against Trump’s demand to rename the lake after America.
Also capturing consumers’ attention in recent days was a change on the menu at Le Moulin de Provence, a popular bakery and bistro in the ByWard Market building.
Instead of listing an Americano coffee on the electronic menu, the word Americano was crossed out and replaced with Canadiano. The video clip of an employee making the change has gone viral on social media, racking up more than seven million views.
“We were trying to find a way to stay positive and have some fun with everything that’s going on,” said Le Moulin’s operations manager, Nicolas Bonnet. “Obviously, it’s a bit of a lighthearted joke that kind of took off a bit more than we were expecting it to.”
He was quick to add that no ill will was intended: “Americans are always welcome in our store,” he said. “Everyone who comes in is family, whether they’re from Europe, South America, North America, Asia or anywhere.”
Still, the menu amendment will be in place indefinitely. “This is not a temporary change,” Bonnet said. In fact, the bakery is doubling down on its Canadian attitude with a new offering inspired by the comments on the name change.
The new cuppa is called Great North. “It’s a maple syrup-based coffee with a double shot of espresso, and finished off with some nice Canadian milk from our favorite plastic bag,” Bonnet explained. “We like to say it’s sweet and extra strong just like us up north.”
Meanwhile on nearby Rideau Street, one of Ottawa’s oldest retail stores has jumped on the buy-Canadian bandwagon with a new policy.
Letellier Shoes, a store that’s been on Rideau Street since 1900, added a small sign near the cash register that states they “will no longer purchase product made in the USA until further notice.”
An employee said the plan is to sell off existing stock from American brands, but to focus on European and non-U.S. brands in the future.
