Many years ago, when we were living in Idaho, I had a tire problem while driving across Oregon. My route wasn’t on the Interstate that runs next to the Columbia River for much of its journey, but rather on a two-lane road that crosses the high desert with few towns and great distances of open country. I changed the tire, noting that my spare wasn’t in the best condition. I started looking for a tire shop. The one I found was part of a regional chain of tire shops. They quickly repaired the flat tire, returned it to my vehicle, and replaced the spare. I got my credit card to pay and was told there was no charge. That chain of tire stores earned my loyalty. Over the next several years, I purchased all of my tires from that chain and became friends with the workers in the store that was nearest my home.

When we moved to South Dakota, I had to find a new tire shop, as that chain does not have stores in that part of the country. Now that we have moved to Washington, I’ve returned to that brand and have had several tires repaired for free at the location near our home. Recently, as I waited for them to put a tube into the front tire of our son’s lawn and garden tractor, I looked around the store. There isn’t much to see. They have displays of different kinds of tires and posters touting other services such as brake repair and alignment services. Their business is limited to tires and suspension, which seems reasonable. A constant stream of customers kept three counter staff and a shop full of technicians busy.

There are other stores that sell tires. Most auto repair shops sell tires and have tire repair services. Warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s Club sell tires. Department stores like Sears and K-Mart used to sell tires. However, just across the border into Canada, there is a phenomenon different from anything I’ve experienced in the US. Canadian Tire is a tire store. They sell tires and provide repair services. But they also sell barbecues, lawn mowers, garden supplies, patio furniture, grass seed, and pressure washers. You can buy a children’s swing set or a swimming pool at Canadian Tire. They have hardware, sports equipment, and home goods. They sell bikes and vacuum cleaners and have shopping carts at the entrance to their stores.

Canadian Tire advertises itself as Canada’s top department store, or just Canada’s Store. Since Hudson’s Bay Company declared bankruptcy and began to close stores and sell off assets, the red triangle of Canadian Tire may be Canada’s most recognizable brand. According to CBC, they have made a 30-million-dollar offer to become even more iconic. They are set to buy the logo, coat of arms, various names, and the iconic stripes of Hudson’s Bay Company.

That might be seen as a problem by all the people who rushed to the Hudson’s Bay stores to purchase blankets and other goods adorned with the iconic Hudson’s Bay Green, White, Red, and Yellow Stripes, hoping that they would become collector’s items with the demise of the company. It appears you’ll be able to buy a Hudson’s Bay blanket at any of the 1,700 Canadian Tire stores across the country.

Unlike the Hudson’s Bay Company, which was originally chartered by British investors and is currently owned by a US investment firm, Canadian Tire has been Canadian-owned since its founding. Canadian Tire president Greg Hicks said in a statement announcing the purchase of the brands, “Some things are just meant to stay Canadian.”

The rhetoric from Washington, D.C., combined with on-again-off-again tariffs and heightened border security, has recently raised Canadian patriotism and loyalty. Known for their politeness, Canadians have booed the US National Anthem at hockey games, made countless YouTube and other internet memes, and are boycotting travel to the US. Traffic from Canada is down nearly 50% at the border crossing nearest our home, the third busiest highway crossing between the two countries.

Part of the reluctance of Canadians to visit the US comes from heightened scrutiny and harassment of Canadians who travel to the US. Customs agents are inspecting far more entering cars than used to be the case, and have decreased the number of traffic lanes for customs inspection. Facilities with a dozen or more lanes to handle large numbers of cars routinely have only three lanes open. Sometimes, all traffic is reduced to a single lane, with border crossing times exceeding an hour. For a few days recently, crossing times exceeded three hours. Customs officials have not revealed what they expect to find or whether the increased inspections have netted more arrests.

Beyond inconvenience, Canadians have been harassed by ICE officials. 36-year-old Jasmine Mooney went to the San Ysidro port of entry at the border of Mexico and California to apply for a visa because she had a new job in the US, and ended up being jailed for 12 days. No charges were ever filed, and no explanation was ever given for her detainment. She wrote about her experience for The Guardian. Her story and many others have made Canadians wary of travel to the US.

We don’t have a similar reaction on our side of the border. Although we don’t like long lines to cross the border, we know that we can be treated with respect and kindness by Canadian officials when we visit. I’ve been tempted to cross the border just to take a look at the Canadian Tire store just across the line out of curiosity. I don’t need a Hudson’s Bay blanket, and I don’t need tires, but I enjoy just looking at hardware and sporting goods stores. I may have to make a stop next time we’re in Canada simply because it is such an iconic brand. Like Tim Horton’s, Canadian Tire is a part of the country's culture and climate.

However, I’ll be careful to keep my receipts and declare any purchases made in Canada. I don’t want to run afoul of US Customs, which appears ready to make trouble for anyone who tries to escape tariffs. Of course, they won’t know the current tariff rate. Those change too frequently and are too complex even for a Customs and Border Patrol officer to understand.