If you went to school in Canada, you almost certainly used Hilroy notebooks.
That pastel cover with the map of the country stretched across it is about as recognizable as school supplies get here, which is exactly why it caught so much attention when people started noticing something missing from the map on the company's latest batch.
The issue showed up on Hilroy's glossy-covered notebooks. Newfoundland is missing entirely, and so is part of Cape Breton on Nova Scotia's east coast. Haida Gwaii, the archipelago off British Columbia's coast, disappeared from the map too.
Hilroy addressed the mistake directly in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
"Hilroy has been part of Canadian classrooms for over 100 years, and the map on that cover is something our team has always been proud of, which is exactly why getting it wrong stings," the post read. The company explained that a production error was to blame for leaving Newfoundland and Cape Breton off the design, adding plainly: "That's our mistake, and we're sorry."
A Facebook post from Hilroy. Hilroy | Facebook
The apology didn't exactly smooth things over.
One commenter called the omission "idiotic" for something meant to be used in a learning environment, while another questioned how a company with over a century of experience could let something like this slip through, joking that whoever approved the design must have "arrived in Canada from another country or planet."
Several commenters pointed to Hilroy's ownership as part of the problem. The brand is owned by ACCO Brands, a U.S. company, and more than one person online suggested that connection explained the mistake, with one commenter writing, "I guess they shouldn't have sold out to a US company," and another going further, urging people who "believe in a free Canada" not to buy the product at all.
One commenter, identifying themselves as a Newfoundlander, said they were "incredibly disappointed.". Another suggested Hilroy send free notebooks to every school in Newfoundland and Cape Breton as a way of making things right.
Political leaders weighed in too. Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham posted his own response on Facebook, keeping it short and pointed: "You can leave Newfoundland off an exercise book, but you can't erase us. Hilroy will never take away our identity, our history, or our place on the map."
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston called the map "unacceptable" in a Facebook post of his own, adding that he'd asked his province's minister of education to send Hilroy an actual map of Nova Scotia, one that includes both Cape Breton and Newfoundland.
A Facebook post from Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston.Tim Houston | Facebook
According to Hilroy's parent company, the notebooks in question have actually been on store shelves since last year, meaning the mistake sat unnoticed for months before anyone caught it.
Hilroy said it has already pulled the notebooks from distribution and is in the process of correcting the artwork. Anyone who bought one of the affected notebooks can reach out through ACCO Brands Canada's website for a replacement or a refund.
The company has also confirmed the missing Haida Gwaii will be addressed as part of the same correction process.
