When Sue Williams-Dunn came across 51st state baseball caps, toques, t-shirts, flags and stickers on Amazon she felt sick to her stomach.
"As an Amazon customer and Canadian it shocked me, jolted me," said the retired nurse from Thornbury, Ontario.
"It's disgusting. It's an attack on Canada and Canadians. Some people may think it's funny, comedic. But we shouldn't give that orange guy's intimidating tactics more power than they deserve and serve as a constant reminder of the bullying we are subjected to."
US President Donald Trump, often lambasted for his orange-tinted makeup, is the man who has repeatedly said Canada should become the 51st American state.
Williams-Dunn initially complained to Amazon using an online form, but wanted to do more.
After all, she believes -- and is sure the majority of Canadians feel likewise -- that ongoing threats to Canadian sovereignty shouldn't be used as an opportunity to sell merchandise.
So, she started a Change.org petition at Urge Amazon to Discontinue Selling "Canada, 51st State" Merchandise to get Amazon to stop selling Canada 51st state merchandise on Feb. 9.
She hoped to get 10,000 signatures online.
But, all of a sudden in the last couple of days, the petition has gone viral on social media and about 45,000 have now signed.
The goal now is 100,000 signatures.
A scroll through all the 51st state merchandise on Amazon is indeed shocking and unsettling.
"These products are not harmless or humourous," said Williams-Dunn"
"This is not a joke to us. It's a threat to our autonomy and identity as Canadians."
For example, one model of baseball cap made by Cheyuan features a 'The 51st State' graphic with a photo of a menacing Donald Trump pointing straight ahead with an American flag in the background with a maple leaf in the upper left corner.
The hat is available in eight colours and costs $16.99.
Cheyuan also has other models of 51st state hats for sale on Amazon with a maple leaf in the upper left corner of the stars and stripes and the American flag superimposed over the entirety of North America.
Cutehat is also in on the act with a 51st state ball cap with a map of Canada covered by the stars and stripes and an American flag with the maple leaf in the corner.
Cutehat also has such 51st state graphics on the most Canadian of headgear -- the toque.
The toques come in six colours and cost $18 on Amazon.
The Generic brand of hats also has similar offerings.
Some of the comments in the reviews sections for the hats are vicious.
S. Conrad wrote: I wouldn't even vomit in this hat.
Ashton said: "Not appropriate and certainly not funny. Remove it!
Richard K. added: This hat wouldn't even be useful to wipe someone's ass with.
The MacKenzie family wrote: This is offensive. Get rid of this crap.
Lisa Carriera was succinct: Absolute garbage.
Ironically, Cheyuan, Cutehat and Generic also have lines of merchandise -- mostly ball caps -- that decry the sovereign slogan: Canada is not for sale.
So, the companies are playing both sides of the issue simply to sell as much gear and make as much money as possible.
By the way, on Amazon you can also find hats and t-shirts for sale declaring the 'Greenland is not for sale' and the 'Panama Canal is not for sale.'
Those two are also Trump takeover targets.
Amazon policy prohibits the sale of products that promote, incite or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious discrimination.
While the 51st state merchandise may be controversial and rile Canadians, Amazon is unlikely to stop selling the items because it feels it doesn't contravene its policy.
