Canada flags flying off shelves in Winnipeg amid tensions with U.S.

Manitobans are showing off their pride for Canada as tensions mount with the United States. CTV’s Jeff Keele has more.

Sharon Taylor has never bought a Canadian flag, until now.

“One at the lake and one in the city,” said Taylor.

She picked up two at The Flag Shop in South Osborne to show off her pride for her country.

“I really don’t like what’s happening as far as Trump,” said Taylor. “The president is stating they want to make us the 51st state, and I never want that to happen.”

Taylor said that talk from down south is really bothering her and that’s why she’s here, along with many others.

“It’s kind of nice because it’s merging all of us for Canadians to take a stand.”

Sales at The Flag Shop have skyrocketed since a call went out from five former prime ministers to celebrate annual Flag Day on Feb. 15.

Sales associate Mathew Hobson said it’s even busier than during the lead-up to July 1.

“We’re probably about 10 times what we’ve normally been doing per day, what we’ve been doing the last two days,” said Hobson.

It appears Canadian pride is growing because of the tension with our southern neighbour.

Andrew Enns from Leger Marketing said when people start booing the American anthem at hockey games, you know something is up.

“There’s a broader feeling happening and we put numbers to it,” said Enns.

Those numbers from a weekend poll show more than half of people said they are very proud to be Canadian, a 18 per cent bump from last June. Enns said that’s a significant change.

“I think it’s got Canadians mad and they want to demonstrate that and they’re proud of who we are.”

Enns also said based on other responses, people are focusing more on buying local and cancelling trips to the U.S.

But there may be a destination closer to home that could see a boycott.

This week the International Peace Gardens at the Manitoba-U.S. border said they’ve received strongly worded emails from individuals who say they won’t visit this year.

Speaking from Washington, D.C., at the end of a trade mission, Premier Wab Kinew said we need to support the gardens.

“The peace gardens are something that I think are a long-standing symbol of the connection between the U.S. and Canada,” said Kinew.