Edmonton, Alberta – — Premier Danielle Smith today welcomed the decision by the government of Ontario to pull its controversial anti-tariff advertisement campaign that had triggered a sharp reaction from the United States and resulted in a suspension of trade talks with Canada. Smith praised the move as the correct path forward to rebuild diplomatic momentum and secure trade stability for Canadian producers in the face of recent tariffs.
Earlier this week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that his provincial government would pause the U.S.-based advertisement, which featured excerpts from a 1987 radio address by Ronald Reagan, after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that Canada had used a “fraudulent” ad and terminated all trade negotiations with Ottawa. The advertisement was designed to highlight the negative impact of tariffs on workers and businesses, but it sparked backlash from the Reagan Foundation and American officials who asserted the ad misrepresented the former President’s words.
Smith said Alberta supports diplomacy, collaboration, and enhancing Canadian-American economic ties rather than engaging in provocative public campaigns. She emphasized that Canada’s prosperity depends on a functioning trade relationship with the United States and noted that Canadians should focus on shared interests such as energy, manufacturing and cross-border supply chains.
“Canada and the U.S. are each other’s largest trading partners, and our futures are deeply intertwined,” Smith said in a statement. “The decision by Ontario to pull the ad sets us back on the right track. It’s time to put diplomacy first, rebuild trust, and work in good faith to achieve better outcomes for workers, businesses and families on both sides of the border.”
Smith also highlighted concerns about the wider implications of recent trade disruptions and rhetoric. She cautioned that aggressive ad campaigns or public provocations risk being counter-productive and may undermine Canada’s ability to secure favourable terms in an increasingly turbulent global trade environment.
In contrast, Smith acknowledged that not all Canadian leaders share her view. She pointed to comments by Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba, who argued that Ontario should not back down and that the President’s response shows the campaign was working. Smith said she disagrees with that assessment and believes the path to practical results lies in constructive dialogue rather than confrontation.
The Ontario advertisement controversy has broader significance for Canadian trade policy. With the U.S. and Canada facing high-stakes negotiations around tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber and other key sectors, the episode has underscored the risks of Cabinet-level messaging misfires and provincial-federal coordination breakdowns. The suspension of negotiations appears to have been directly triggered by the ad’s airing.
Smith urged the federal government and all provincial partners to work in concert, coordinate messaging abroad, and ensure that Canadian interests are advanced through quiet diplomacy and professional negotiation rather than public spectacle. She called for immediate efforts to resume Canada-U.S. trade talks, stabilize cross-border business flows, and minimize collateral damage to Canadian exporters and supply chains.