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Canada's Missing Pieces: Notebook Map Blunder
3 Sep
Summary
- Hilroy notebooks omitted Newfoundland and Cape Breton from Canadian map.
- The error was a production mistake, company stated.
- Provincial leaders expressed dismay over the map's inaccuracies.
Hilroy issued an apology after its popular exercise notebooks were found to be missing significant parts of Canada. The map on the notebooks excluded Newfoundland and Cape Breton, leading to public criticism.
The company attributed the inaccuracy to a production error and has ceased distribution of the faulty notebooks, working to correct the cover art. They expressed regret for the mistake and thanked customers for bringing it to their attention.
ACCO Brands, Hilroy's parent company, confirmed the books had been available since the previous year, though the errors were only recently identified. The oversight prompted responses from Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston.
Premier Wakeham stated that while Newfoundland could be left off a notebook, its identity could not be erased. Premier Houston called the incomplete map unacceptable and humorously offered to send the company a correct map. An omission of Haida Gwaii off British Columbia was also noted and is part of the correction plan.
Sean Cadigan, a history professor, commented that Newfoundland's later joining of Canada in 1949 has historically led to its exclusion from some maps and descriptions, though he believes this was an embarrassing mistake by Hilroy without malicious intent.
