Amanda St. Jean has shopped at Hudsons Bay Company her whole life. In the northern Ontario community where she grew up, the iconic Canadian department store was where everyone buys clothing, cosmetics, furniture and toys. Reminiscing on her relationship to the Bay, St. Jean calls herself a huge fan.
Since January, however, St. Jeans view of The Bay has changed drastically, and on February 25, shell be part of a protest outside the retailers Toronto flagship store. Calling themselves the Peeved Beavers, the group is a spinoff of #GrabYourWallet, a movement to boycott Trump-owned and related companies.
The Peeved Beavers is a very specific response to Hudsons Bay and their continued sale of Ivanka Trumps brand, St. Jean explains. Our name was inspired by the four beavers on the shield of the Bays company crest.
The 47-year-old Guelph resident isnt an experienced activist but walked in Torontos Womens March, an anti-Trump demonstration that took place the day after he took office. Two weeks later, she returned to Toronto for the Day of Action Against Islamophobia and White Supremacy.
Those were really key moments in my life in terms of sensing the power we can hold as a collective. It was so positive, renewing and inspiring, she says.
She met other local #GrabYourWallet supporters on social media and organized. Initially, St. Jean wrote a letter to Hudsons Bay CEO Gerald L. Storch, which the company never acknowledged. She tried phoning The Bay, but that didnt work either. As other major retailers including Nordstrom began dropping Ivanka Trumps brand, St. Jean grew more upset that The Bay’s management remained steadfast.
When contacted by NOW, HBC offered the following statement regarding its ties to Ivanka Trump.
“Across our banners, we aim to a deliver a strong assortment of fashion. We respect our customers right to choose the brands that work for them. In turn, our customers choices inform our decisions on which merchandise we offer.”
HBC is owned by NRDC Equity Partners, a New York-based private equity firm that invests in real estate, retail and consumer branded businesses. Its also under the same owner as Saks Fifth Avenue, another retailer that has refused to drop Trump products. A counter-movement called #BuyIvanka where Trump supporters are discontinuing their business with retailers that have stopped selling Ivanka Trumps line is also gaining momentum.
I hope Hudsons Bay will get to a point where they see their brand is being compromised, and their own customers who have a great loyalty to them are feeling they cant shop there, St. Jean says.
Saturdays protest gets underway at 10:30 am at The Bays Square One location in Mississauga. The group will move to the flagship store at Queen and Yonge at 11:30 am. There are 15 members in the Peeved Beavers and members of the public are welcome to join in.
We will all be dressed in different roles and doing a satire, St. Jean says. Most of us will be Trump, and there will be a Steve Bannon, and well be thanking Hudsons Bay for their role in supporting Trump.
She adds that the group has made bookmarks to hand out to the crowds with information on what people can do who they can write and call to put pressure on The Bay.
While Ivanka Trump doesnt have an official role in the White House, she was an active part of her fathers presidential campaign and maintains a presence when it comes to Trumps governmental duties. Most recently, she sat next to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a roundtable discussion on women in business at the White House. Ivankas husband, Jared Kushner, acts as senior advisor to the president.
No daughter should have to pay for the sins of ones father, but I really think Ivanka has blended public office with personal profit, says St. Jean. It really weakens democracies when people are personally enriched from their role in public office, and its up to Canadians to voice how wrong this is.
michelled@nowtoronto.com | @michdas
