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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
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.S. Last week, U.S. 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.
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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.
Hilroy’s ubiquitous back-to-school notebooks have been on the market for more than 100 years. The company, founded in downtown Toronto in 1918, was acquired by U.S.-based ACCO Brands Corp. in 2012.
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Hilroy produces 14 million notebooks annually and still manufactures some of its products in Mississauga, Ont. Copies of the lined 40-page notebooks with the flawed map viewed by The Globe had a copyright date of 2025 and said they were made in China.
ACCO Brands said the faulty exercise books first hit the market last year.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston also reacted strongly to the map error, calling it “unacceptable” and directing his Education Minister, Brendan Maguire, to send the makers of Hilroy notebooks a map of Canada that includes Cape Breton and Newfoundland.
In a letter to Hilroy Canada’s vice-president, culture and administrative services, Lori Conley, which was shared with The Globe, Mr. Maguire wrote: “I understand Canada is a big country. There are provinces, territories, islands and, apparently, some places that can be surprisingly difficult to locate. Cape Breton, however, is fairly easy to find.”
Mr. Maguire went on to describe Cape Breton’s historical and economic contributions, finishing with a nod to the trade tensions.
“At a time of global uncertainty, Canadian pride matters. So does making sure every part of our country is represented. That includes Cape Breton (and our friends in Newfoundland and Labrador).”
Nova Scotia Opposition Leader Claudia Chender had a more succinct way of putting it in her social media post: “Time for Hilroy to go back to school.”
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Hilroy’s scribblers are widely distributed at large retailers such as Staples and Walmart.
At a busy Walmart in Halifax, where throngs of parents and children were shopping for back-to-school supplies on Wednesday, there were multiple boxes of the gem-toned pink, blue, turquoise and purple notebooks with the erroneous map on display at the front of the store.
In a social media post, Hilroy Canada thanked those who spotted the mistake.
“Getting it wrong stings,” said a company post on Instagram. “A production error left Newfoundland and Cape Breton off the map on our glossy cover design. That’s our mistake, and we’re sorry.”
Hilroy Canada said anyone who wants a replacement or refund should reach out via its website.
With a report from Canadian Press