Pop Culture Acknowledges Canada's Existence, Then Forgets Again

They're excited up in Thunder Bay. American Eagle Outfitters, supplier of up-to-date retro clothing has released a t-shirt harkening back to the golden days of the Thunder Bay Hockey Camp, which never seems to have actually existed anywhere but in the mind of an American Eagle art director.

Despite the issuance of the Canada-themed t-shirt, no-doubt-very-high-level American Eagle spokesman Emily Leon seemed confused when Canada called to inquire about the origins of the shirts.

Although the shirt is likely available in all 68 of AEO’s Canadian locations — employees in Halifax, Montreal and Winnipeg confirmed it was in stock — the official spokesperson at the company’s head office in New York knew little about its existence or how it came to be.

How like Canada that t-shirt must be: There, in plain sight, available to all, but somehow unknown, with no one outside having any idea about its existence or how it came to be.

Perhaps paradoxically, American Eagle believes more mysterious Canada-wear will be arriving soon to Canadian stoes near you:

“There will be more shirts coming out over the holidays with a couple of Canadian names on them,” (the spokesman) offered. “But I don’t have the answers about Thunder Bay, or who planned it.”

So, with this onslaught of Canadian fashion looming just across the world's longest unguarded border, do we have something to fear? Are we going to be overrun by people in campy, Canada-referential retro gear? Apparently not.

Business wasn’t so brisk in Toronto, where an employee suggested sales of the long-sleeved item would heat up as the still summer-like temperatures there cooled down.

Ah, yes...the heat of the Canadian summer. On the day this story broke, the high in Tornoto was 59 degrees.