Hilroy’s classic back-to-school notebook features flawed map of Canada

Lindsay Jones Halifax Published 5 hours agoUpdated 46 minutes ago Open this photo in gallery: Hilroy’s 40-page exercise book with a copyright year of 2025 shows a map of Canada that omits Newfoundland and a part of Nova Scotia, as seen in a Walmart in Fredericton on Wednesday. Eli Ridder/The Canadian Press Comments Save for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story. Log InCreate Free Account The Hilroy notebook, with its iconic map of Canada on the cover, has been a back-to-school staple for generations. But in what’s become the second Canadian geography scandal in less than a week, Hilroy and its American parent company are under fire for lopping off parts of Atlantic Canada. Hilroy said a printing error caused Newfoundland and Cape Breton, N. S., to be left off the map shown on the covers of its glossy notebooks. The company has apologized, and said it has stopped distributing the notebooks and plans to correct the map. But the gaffe landed at a particularly sore time for Canadians, incensing provincial political leaders and sharpening anti-American tensions during a trade war with the U. President Donald Trump signed an order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America, and followed that up with social-media posts criticizing Canada. He, and others in his orbit, have also repeatedly questioned Canada’s sovereignty, suggesting the country should become the 51st state. Lake Ontario merchandise grabs attention on both sides of the border The map mishap sparked outrage on social media, with some users linking Hilroy’s blunder to Mr. Trump. “Who drew the map for Hilroy – Donald Trump?” wrote one poster on social media. Others pointed out that the Hilroy notebook cover also appears to be missing the Haida Gwaii islands off the coast of British Columbia. A spokesperson said the company is aware and addressing that omission as part of its “correction plan.” Hilroy’s cartographical error also riled East Coast politicians, who condemned the notebook cover in their own social media posts. “You can leave Newfoundland off an exercise book, but you can’t erase us,” Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham wrote on Wednesday (the map did not omit Labrador). “Hilroy will never take away our identity, our history, or our place on the map.” In a statement to The Globe and Mail, Mr. Wakeham added that it’s disheartening to see such a historically beloved Canadian brand overlook a vital part of our nation’s geography.