On a good day in February, Debbie Hartlen might sell one Canadian flag at her workshop in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, where she sells flags. Now, daily sales have hit roughly 300 flags, and that’s not counting her larger online business.

President Donald Trump’s plan to impose crippling tariffs on Canadian exports are seen as a devastating threat to many Canadian businesses and workers. His warning on trade — combined with his repeated calls for the US to annex Canada — have the country’s flag makers struggling to keep up with suddenly soaring demand.

“Isn’t it wonderful?,” said Hartlen, who owns The Flag Shop Nova Scotia. “Thank you, Trump. Who would have thought we’d be saying that?”

The renewed interest in Canada’s maple leaf flag comes as the red and white Canadian banner marks its 60th anniversary.

And for a nation where flag waving is less a part of life than in the US and flags are generally less conspicuous, the Trump-fuelled resurgence of Canadian patriotism has also revived the Canadian flag’s image.

The maple leaf flag, often flown upside down or from hockey sticks, became the defining symbol used by protesters who occupied and paralysed Ottawa, Canada’s capital, for nearly a month in 2022 in response to Covid restrictions.

As a result, many Canadians have shied away from displaying their national flag out of concern that they would be seen as endorsing the protests.

But things started to change as Flag Day in Canada, which is celebrated on Feb. 15, approached. Usually, the day passes by largely unnoticed.

This time, against the backdrop of tariff threats and Trump’s criticisms of Canada, including referring to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as Governor Trudeau, five former Prime Minsters have called on Canadians “to show the flag as never before”.