Ford Suspends Ad After Trump Terminates Trade Talks
After President Donald Trump said he was ending trade talks between the U.S. and Canada, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his government will stop running ads against tariffs in the U.S. Ford said that the commercial will keep running through the weekend, including during the World Series, but would cease on Monday so that conversations could start up again.
Ford said he made the choice after talking to Prime Minister Mark Carney, who stated Canada is still willing to talk again “when the Americans are ready.” The premier said the goal of the campaign was to start “a conversation about the kind of economy Americans want to build,” stressing the economic effects of tariffs.
Source: BBC
Reagan Quote in Ontario Ad Sparks U.S. Backlash
The commercial that Ontario paid for utilized a 1987 radio speech by Ronald Reagan in which he criticized tariffs and said they “hurt every American.” The statement was meant to get the attention of conservatives who don’t like Trump’s new 35% tax on Canadian products.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump dubbed the commercial “FAKE” and “egregious,” saying that Ford’s administration had twisted Reagan’s comments. The Reagan Foundation also put out a statement saying that the film used “selective audio and imagery” without permission. Hours later, Trump said that trade discussions were “HEREBY TERMINATED.”
Tariffs Hit Ontario’s Core Manufacturing Sector
Trump’s tariff approach has hit Ontario’s economy the hardest. Ontario is home to Canada’s main car and steel industry. The U.S. now charges a 35% tax on all Canadian imports, with 50% on metals and 25% on cars.
These steps have made things more expensive for Ontario’s automakers and suppliers. Stellantis and other companies have moved production from Brampton, Ontario, to U.S. facilities because of costs associated with tariffs. Ford’s response was to take U.S. booze off the shelves in Ontario stores and threaten to limit energy exports. These moves made things worse before the ad campaign.
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Ottawa’s Diplomatic Strategy Contrasts Ford’s Defiance
To keep the lines of communication open, Prime Minister Carney has taken a conciliatory approach, meeting with Trump in private and texting him. To promote collaboration, his administration has also eliminated tariffs that would have hurt U.S. businesses and put a stop to Canada’s digital services tax on U.S. tech companies.
Carney added that Canada’s main goal is still to get “the best deal for Canada,” even if he admitted that the U.S. has “fundamentally changed its approach to trade.” Experts said that his careful diplomacy is very different from Ford’s aggressive methods, which they say may have caused “an unnecessary distraction.”
Reaction From Policy Experts and Industry
Mahmood Nanji, a trade policy professor at Western University, said that Trump’s response is typical of “theatrics and hyperbole.” He said that Ford’s campaign, although protecting Ontario’s interests, might hurt Carney’s discussions at a sensitive time.
Nanji added, “Some people like that Ford is standing up for industries that are having a hard time, but the timing and tone of the ad didn’t help Canada.” The White House replied on Friday by criticizing “Canada’s long-standing, unfair trade barriers” again. This showed that they were angry, even if Ford had put the campaign on hold.
Trade Talks Future Remains Uncertain
It is not clear if Trump would start talks again now that the ad has been taken off. Carney has kept the door open, saying Canada will become involved “once constructive dialogue is possible.” This week, both leaders are going to the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, but there has been no confirmation of a meeting between the two.
At the same time, analysts say that Canada’s reliance on trade with the United States (75% of its exports) has become a strategic weakness. The halted ad could help ease tensions for a while, but Ontario’s businesses are still at risk because the tariff stalemate is still going on.
Canada Seeks New Trade Partners as U.S. Tensions Strain Economic Ties
The argument shows how weak the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. has become. Ford’s populist defense of Ontario’s workers is popular in Canada, but Carney’s administration is under pressure to stop the economy from becoming worse.
Canada is looking for new markets in Asia and other places to cut down on its dependence on its southern neighbor as tariffs change the way goods move across North America. Still, with no settlement in sight and politics getting in the way on both sides of the border, analysts say that Canada’s relationship with the U.S. will be “a rocky road.”
