Ontario Premier Doug Ford reaffirms his stance on running an anti-tariff ad campaign in the U.S., despite President Donald Trump pausing trade discussions with Canada over it. Ford announced that the ads would be put on hold starting next Monday. The advertisement includes a segment of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan discussing the detrimental effects of tariffs, which Trump criticized as misleading.
Ford’s office released a statement defending the ad, stating that the Reagan clip was unaltered and available to the public. Grace Lee, a spokesperson for the premier’s office, emphasized Reagan’s support for free and fair trade between Canada and the U.S. The ad, costing around $75 million, sparked controversy and drew criticism from Ford’s political opponents.
Opponents, including Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles and Liberal MPP Stephanie Bowman, argued that the campaign funds could have been better utilized within the province to address existing economic challenges. Despite the backlash, Ford received support from Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, who commended the effectiveness of the ads and encouraged Ford to continue airing them.
Trade union Unifor’s national president, Lana Payne, backed Ford’s approach, emphasizing the need to resist unjust tariffs. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce echoed Ford’s belief that Americans should be informed about the repercussions of tariffs, describing them as self-destructive.
The premier’s office announced that the ad campaign would be paused to allow trade talks to resume. The decision to halt the ads followed Trump’s reaction, leading to a temporary suspension of the contentious campaign. CBC News reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office for a response, as Ottawa was notified of Trump’s decision before he made the announcement on social media.