Hilroy, the maker of the pastel-coloured exercise books familiar to schoolchildren across Canada, has apologised after customers noticed a map printed on the cover left out Newfoundland and part of Cape Breton.
Company halts distribution, promises fix
The parent company, ACCO Brands, said the glossy 40-page exercise books — carrying a copyright year of 2025 and spotted on store shelves — contained an inaccurate map as the result of a production error. Hilroy posted on its Facebook page that the company had stopped distributing the affected books and was correcting the artwork.
The product was pictured in a Walmart in Fredericton on Wednesday. ACCO Brands told media the notebooks have been available since last year, although the mistake appears to have only become widely noticed in recent days after shoppers shared images online.
Strong reaction from Newfoundlanders and leaders
The omission provoked swift reaction on social media, with residents of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia expressing dismay that a familiar national symbol had been altered so conspicuously. Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier, Tony Wakeham, responded directly on Facebook.
"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."
Hilroy’s Facebook statement acknowledged the error and thanked people who pointed it out. "That's our mistake, and we're sorry," the company wrote, saying the map has been a point of pride and that getting it wrong "stings."
Why the mistake matters here
Maps are more than decorative backdrops on consumer goods in a province where geography and place are central to identity. For many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, seeing the island of Newfoundland omitted from a familiar school supply touched a nerve beyond simple product inaccuracy.
The reaction also highlights how quickly small manufacturing or design mistakes can become national conversations in the social media age, particularly when they involve symbols held dear by communities.
What Hilroy says it will do
According to the company's social-media post, the response will include:
- Stopping distribution of the affected glossy-covered exercise books;
- Correcting the cover artwork and reissuing accurate maps;
- Expressing an apology to those who noticed and raised concerns.
The company did not provide a public timetable for when corrected notebooks would reach shelves, nor did it outline whether affected products would be recalled from stores.
Small table: key dates and details
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | 40-page glossy exercise book (Hilroy) |
| Copyright year on cover | 2025 |
| On shelves since | 2025 (ACCO Brands: "since last year") |
| Public apology posted | Sept. 2, 2026 (Hilroy Facebook) |
Local voices and what comes next
Social media posts from Newfoundlanders and Nova Scotians conveyed frustration and humour in equal measure. For some, the incident was a reminder of how visible and sensitive the province’s place on the map remains; for others it was an oddity — an example of how modern supply chains and printing processes can yield errors that quickly attract national attention.
Hilroy’s statement thanked those who flagged the problem and vowed to correct it. Beyond that public apology and halting further distribution, the company has not released additional steps, such as refunds or formal recalls.
For parents, teachers and students, the immediate practical impact is likely small — glossy-covered editions are one of many variations of the brand’s exercise books — but the episode has become a talking point about identity, corporate responsibility and attention to detail in everyday products.
As the company moves to amend the artwork, the broader conversation it triggered will likely continue in kitchens, classrooms and online, where maps still carry weight far beyond their centimetres on a page.
