The provincial government of Ontario, Canada, has suspended its anti-tariff advertising campaign targeting the U.S. following backlash from former President Donald J. Trump. The move comes after Trump declared an end to all trade negotiations with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over the controversial use of selectively edited audio from late President Ronald Reagan in the ad.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s latest effort to influence U.S.-Canadian trade discussions lasted less than 24 hours before being halted. The campaign, which aired during World Series games, 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 had previously imposed tariffs on Japanese electronics to protect American interests, a contradiction highlighted by critics.
Trump condemned the ad as “FAKE” on Truth Social, accusing Ontario of interfering in U.S. policy decisions. He also threatened to terminate all trade talks with Canada. The Ronald Reagan Foundation, which holds rights to the audio, criticized the ad and warned of legal action for unauthorized use. White House spokesman Kush Desai called the campaign misleading and a distraction from serious negotiations.
Ford announced the pause on Monday to allow trade talks to resume but confirmed the ad would continue airing over the weekend. This follows a similar failed attempt by Ford earlier this year to disrupt trade talks through an electricity tariff, which was also quickly abandoned.
