Ontario premier’s Reagan ad rekindles tensions with Trump • FRANCE 24 English

This $75 million Ontario ad attacking US tariffs has backfired and now it’s being pulled to save trade talks. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement, “We’ve achieved our goal, having reached US audiences at the highest levels. Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses.” The ads led by Ford and featuring a 1987 Ronald Reagan speech warned about the dangers of tariffs. The message did not sit well with Donald Trump. Within hours, he announced on Truth Social, “Tariffs are very important to the national security and economy of the USA. Based on their egregious behavior, all trade negotiations with Canada are hereby terminated.” Trump’s decision threatens to derail months of trade talks with Ottawa. But on Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada remains ready to return to the table. Um, we stand ready uh to pick up on that progress uh and build on that progress uh when the Americans are ready to have those discussions because it will be for the benefit of workers in the United States, workers in Canada’s uh and families in both of our countries. He also pledged to double Canada’s exports outside the US, saying the country can no longer rely solely on its southern neighbor.

The premier of Canada’s mostpopulous province has again complicated the country’s delicate trade negotiations with the US, this time with a political ad targeting Americans that has drawn the ire of US President Donald Trump. The ad, commissioned by Doug Ford, Ontario’s outspoken Conservative premier who is sometimes compared to Trump, uses a snippet of Republican icon and former President Ronald Reagan saying that tariffs cause trade wars and economic disaster.
#Trump #USA #Canada

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17 comments

  2. Backfired? Save trade talks? Canada has no business being anywhere near trade with the US. BTW, This moment is not about trade – Trump is infuriated by the fact that anyone was ever President before him. No, you can't "rely on us" when there's only one man involved and he's a vicious nutcase.

  3. How do you negotiate with a 5 year old child who throws a tantrum every time anyone dares to disagree with him, and lies and lies to try to make his point?

  4. As of 2025, the United States ranks 12th globally in terms of government debt-to-GDP ratio, with a projected ratio of approximately 125% by the end of the year. The U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio surpassed 100% for the first time since World War II in 2011 due to massive government spending on economic stimulus, corporate bailouts, and unemployment programs. This elevated ratio places the U.S. among countries with significant fiscal challenges, such as Japan, Greece, and Italy, which have higher debt burdens relative to their economic output. Russia maintains a much lower ratio of 17% while China sits at 66%.

  7. TDump is a toddler 😂 Upset by an ad that quotes the Republican “hero” Ronald Regan. That’s precious

  8. Canada don’t wanna be 51 state but this foolish country have lousy mouth on USA market ; Canada have no right to interfere with US trade it’s America first ; Canada is never taken serious they have no military, a socialist state they deserve more tarrif

  10. Although nothing should surprise me anymore, I was shocked to find this on the official web site of the White House
    "As part of President Trump’s strategy to establish balanced trade, the European Union will pay the United States a tariff rate of 15%, including on autos and auto parts, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors. However, the sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper will remain unchanged—the EU will continue to pay 50% and the parties will discuss securing supply chains for these products……"
    Such a blatant lie, from the official web site, from a document called "fact sheet" 😱
    For those in denial: tariffs are NOT paid by the exporter. They are added to the bill. And guess who pays the bill.

  15. Probably the only correct words out of Ronnie's mouth. Otherwise, he destroyed millions of workers' careers and not just air traffic control.

  16. Yes, misrepresentation of Reagan's message. Reuters: The ad by the Ontario government has a voiceover of Reagan criticizing tariffs on foreign goods while saying they cause job losses and trade wars. The video uses five complete sentences from the five-minute weekly address, spliced together out of sequence.
    The ad does not mention that Reagan was using the address to explain that tariffs imposed on Japan by his administration should be seen as a sadly unavoidable exception to his basic belief in free trade as the key to prosperity.

    It's a cheat.

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