Ontario Premier Doug Ford has once again stirred tensions between Canada and the United States after a new political ad featuring former U.S. President Ronald Reagan drew a furious response from President Donald Trump, threatening to derail ongoing trade talks.
The ad, commissioned by Ford’s government, uses a clip of Reagan warning that tariffs lead to “trade wars and economic disaster.” The message, aimed at American viewers, aired on U.S. television and during sports broadcasts, prompting Trump to blast it as “fraudulent” in a late-night Truth Social tirade. “ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” the president declared.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has sought to maintain a conciliatory tone with Washington since taking office in March, had been hoping to strike a deal to lift U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. Ford’s ad, however, appears to have complicated those efforts.
In a statement on Friday, Ford said that after speaking with Carney, Ontario would pause the campaign on Monday “so that trade talks can resume,” but confirmed the controversial commercial would continue to air over the weekend during the Toronto Blue Jays’ World Series games. “Our message has reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels,” Ford said.
Analysts suggested that Trump’s reaction may have been more political than substantive. “Mr. Trump doesn’t like to be confronted with the truth,” said Asa McKercher, an expert on U.S.-Canada relations at St. Francis Xavier University. “The ad accurately reflects Reagan’s position on tariffs.”
The Canadian dollar weakened after Trump’s announcement, underscoring Ontario’s vulnerability to disruptions in auto and steel trade. McKercher warned that Ford’s “attack-dog approach” risked backlash. “It may be Carney who will now have to make concessions to get talks back on track,” he said.
Despite the controversy, Ford drew some unlikely support from political rivals. Manitoba’s New Democratic Premier Wab Kinew urged Ford to “keep running the ads,” while Green Party leader Elizabeth May exclaimed, “Go Doug Ford!” as she arrived in Parliament.
Pollster Shachi Kurl of the Angus Reid Institute said Ford’s confrontational style contrasts with Carney’s diplomacy. “He’s acting as the more pugilistic foil to a calm prime minister, and it’s not a stance that generally hurts him,” she noted.
Ford, who won a rare third term as Ontario premier in February, is no stranger to populist theatrics. Earlier this month, he made headlines for boasting that he chased down a suspected shoplifter in a Toronto hardware store.
Political scientist Laura Stephenson of Western University said the situation remains repairable. “Ford can play the bad guy, and Carney will have to be the level-headed one trying to keep discussions on track,” she said.
Diamond Isinger, a former U.S.-Canada adviser under Justin Trudeau, said Trump’s fury proved the ad’s impact. “If it wasn’t effective, Trump wouldn’t be so deeply concerned about it,” she said.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
