Ontario premier says he will pause anti-tariff ad that angered Trump
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he would suspend his province’s anti-tariff ad campaign in the United States after it prompted President Donald Trump to end trade negotiations.
Ford said he made the decision after speaking with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday, adding that the TV spot would be suspended on Monday “so that trade negotiations can resume.”
It will still air during weekends on U.S. networks, he said, including during Major League Baseball’s World Series games.
Carney told reporters earlier Friday that Canada was ready to resume trade negotiations with the United States “when the Americans are ready.”
Trump criticized the ad Thursday evening in a Truth Social article, calling it “FALSE” and “egregious.” He declared that the trade negotiations were “HEREBY TERMINATED.”
The ad, sponsored by the Ontario government, quotes former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, a Republican and icon of American conservatism, saying the tariffs “hurt all Americans.”
The video features excerpts from a Reagan national radio speech in 1987 focused on foreign trade.
Trump’s end to the trade talks came after the Ronald Reagan Foundation, charged with preserving Reagan’s legacy, issued a statement saying the ad used “selective” audio and video recordings of the former president’s remarks.
He accused the ad of distorting Reagan’s speech and said the Ontario government had not sought permission to use it.
On Friday, Ford said the ad’s intention was to “start a conversation about the type of economy Americans want to build” and the impact of tariffs.
“We achieved our goal, reaching the highest audience level in the United States,” Ford said.
Earlier in the day, Ontario’s premier shared Reagan’s entire 1987 radio speech on free and fair trade, saying the former president knew Canada and the United States “were stronger together.”
The United States has imposed a 35% levy on all Canadian products – even though most are exempt under an existing free trade agreement. He also imposed sectoral levies on Canadian products, including a 50% levy on metals and 25% on automobiles.
These sector-specific tariffs have particularly hurt Ontario, where most of Canada’s auto industry is based.
Since his election earlier this year, Prime Minister Carney has attempted to reach a deal that would ease tariffs. Three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the United States, making their economy particularly vulnerable.
