Ontario (Rajeev Sharma): During a joint press conference, Prime Minister Mark Carney struggled to contain his amusement as Ontario Premier Doug Ford lauded his province’s controversial anti-tariff advertisement.
Ford described the ad as “the best ad that’s ever been run,” claiming it had “12.4 billion views” and emphasizing that its goal was to raise awareness among the American public. He reiterated his stance against protectionism, stating, “We’re their number one customer, they’re our number one customer. We need to work together.”
The advertisement, which aired in October, featured excerpts from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s 1987 radio address warning that high tariffs trigger retaliatory trade wars. Ontario had initially planned to spend $75 million on the campaign, but the ad was paused on October 27 after U.S. President Donald Trump halted trade negotiations. The province later said it spent only a fraction of the original budget and has not provided full details on the expenditure.
Carney previously confirmed that he had advised Ford not to run the ad and subsequently apologized to President Trump for its airing. Addressing reporters, he said, “The president was offended by the ad, and it’s not something I would have done… so I apologized.”
Ford, meanwhile, maintained a positive outlook on the campaign despite the controversy, highlighting the importance of collaboration between Ontario and the United States in trade matters.
The incident underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding cross-border trade communications and the delicate role of political messaging in international relations.
