Canada PM Carney told Ontario’s Doug Ford not to run anti-tariff ad that upset Trump
Despite the warning, an ad referencing Ronald Reagan’s opposition to tariffs aired, leading to suspended trade talks with the US
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he told Ontario’s premier not to run an anti-tariff advertisement that prompted US President Donald Trump to end trade talks with Canada.
Carney also confirmed that he apologised to the president during a dinner at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit because Trump was “offended”.
Ontario’s television advertisement that aired in the US criticised Trump’s tariffs by citing a speech from former US President Ronald Reagan.
The ad infuriated Trump, who ended trade talks with Canada and said he plans to hike tariffs on imports of Canadian goods by an extra 10 per cent.
When asked on Saturday what Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s response was to being asked not to run the ad, Carney said, “Well, you saw what came of it”.
“It’s not something I would have done,” Carney added at a news conference as he wrapped a nine-day trip to Asia.
Ford is a populist Conservative, while Carney is a Liberal. As premier, Ford is the equivalent of a US governor.