pc28����

Toronto-resident, Charlene Eales, said she was in disbelief when she found the products online after hearing about them from a friend.

“My fear is that the far right mentality that we see in America is spreading to Canada,” she said, “I find it shocking that a company as large as Amazon would have this stuff up on their website and would ignore the concerns of people.”

She quickly set out to notify Amazon Canada, by emailing and calling their customer service line. She said she was referred to the “report an issue with this product” online form found at the bottom of every item for sale.

Following the phone call, she got to work reporting these items, one by one, but “I soon realized I would be reporting these items for days,” she said.

The Star independently verified Amazon Canada is selling “Canada, the 51st State” and “Make Canada Great Again” merchandise.��

Eales, said the fact Amazon Canada is selling these items sends her the message that the company is both promoting and enabling far right sentiments, is sympathetic to their cause and is being insensitive to Canadians and Canada.

Amazon said in an emailed statement to the Star that although the company has policies around offensive products, “in this instance, we concluded that these products did not breach our policies.”

According to Amazon’s policy , as listed on their website, some items not allowed to be sold include; products that contain violent or offensive material, products that promote, incite, or glorify hate or violence toward any person or group, products that promote or glorify people that have been found guilty of violent or sexual crimes, and products that promote intolerance based on race, religion, and sexual orientation.

In a written statement��sent��by email, the company said they “periodically review and update these policies based on experience, current events, and other relevant developments, and in consultation with internal and external resources. We have a dedicated team that is responsible for developing and updating our policies, refining and maintaining our systems and processes, continuously monitoring our store, and manually evaluating questionable products.”

Meanwhile, online, people upset by the sale of these items are taking to the comments sections found beneath, the “51st State” items for sale.��

“Garbage - stick this hat where the sun don’t shine,” read one comment, “Not appropriate and certainly not funny. Remove it!” said another.��

One comment said “Never - so offensive to every Canadian,” another reads “Canada is not for sale, this is a disgusting product. I will not be ordering anything from Amazon as long as products like this are being sold on this site.”

When it comes to defining what is offensive, David Soberman, professor of marketing, at the Rotman School of Management, said there is a difference between what people might find to be ethically offensive and what is actually legally offensive in terms of the law.

“I think many Canadians and��many people in general, even Americans, would find these products ethically offensive,” said Soberman, “Any time you hear talk of one country wanting to take over another, especially if it’s your own, of course it’s offensive,” he said, “On the other hand, what is legally offensive, or what is legally forbidden by law is products that actively promote hatred or violence by people.”

Amazon is in fact just a platform for smaller retailers to sell their wares, explained Soberman, “Amazon has had a very hands off approach in terms of what it allows on its website,” he said.

“The number one thing that a consumer can do that invariably has a massive effect on what companies do,” said Soberman, “is to make choices that reflect their feelings.”

Many people order scores of items over the course of the year off Amazon, said Soberman. “If they decide in fact to start ordering from the Canadian Tire website or Walmart’s website or doing whatever they can to not order from Amazon, Amazon might change its policy,” he said.

Eales said while she knows��the items are not Amazon products, that the company just sells for vendors��— she still expects accountability. “It’s their company and they are accountable for what is sold on it,” she said.��

“They need to take some responsibility. It may not be their product but it is the company, and now website that is promoting this stuff,” she said.

The Star reached out to companies selling these products on Amazon Canada’s website, but requests for comment were not returned in time for publication.