Ontario Premier Doug Ford is standing firm amid a growing diplomatic storm, saying he will “never apologize” for a $75-million anti-tariff ad campaign that has derailed Canada-U.S. trade talks and drawn the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking at Queen’s Park on Monday, Ford called the province’s U.S. ad blitz — which featured archival footage of former president Ronald Reagan denouncing tariffs — “the best ad that ever ran” and “the most successful in North American history.” He said the campaign reached far beyond expectations, generating more than 11 billion impressions, compared with an initial target of one billion.
“Oh my goodness, did we get our money’s worth,” Ford said. “It warned Americans that Trump’s trade war will cost them — and it worked.”
The 30-second spot aired during high-profile broadcasts, including the Major League Baseball playoffs, and went viral after Trump blasted it repeatedly on his Truth Social account.
But the political fallout was swift. Trump announced last Thursday he was suspending trade talks with Canada and threatened to impose a new 10 per cent tariff on Canadian goods. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “The Canadians were playing dirty, but they’ve apologized and said they’ll take the ad down.”
Ford denied issuing any apology, telling reporters, “I’ll never apologize for defending Ontario jobs.” He said Trump’s comments were an excuse to walk away from negotiations. “He’s not putting together a deal to benefit Canada — he’s looking for reasons not to make one.”
Ford emphasized that he has long been frustrated by the lack of progress on relief for Ontario’s automotive and manufacturing sectors, saying, “There’s been no mention whatsoever of auto — it’s been completely sidelined.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking in Malaysia at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, confirmed that Ottawa and Washington had been close to finalizing agreements on steel, aluminum, and energy before Trump froze talks. Carney said Canada remains ready to resume negotiations “the moment the United States is prepared to re-engage.”
White House spokesperson Kush Desaithe condemned Ontario’s “taxpayer-funded ad campaign” as “another example of Canadians playing games instead of negotiating seriously.”
The controversy has also sparked a debate over the ad’s use of Reagan’s likeness and speech. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute accused Ontario of misrepresenting the late president’s words and using the footage without permission. Ontario’s government maintains the material is in the public domain, while former Reagan adviser Bruce Bartlett defended Ford’s version as “100% accurate,” noting, “I worked for Ronald Reagan in the White House.”
While Ford’s campaign has divided opinion domestically, it found some unlikely allies. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew backed Ford’s stance, saying, “It’s good that President Trump has to squirm. A bad deal would be the worst outcome — I’ve got Doug Ford’s back on this one.”
Other premiers, including B.C.’s David Eby, said they plan to launch similar campaigns targeting U.S. tariffs on softwood lumber.
In Ottawa, Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and other federal officials sought to calm tensions, downplaying Trump’s threat of immediate retaliation. “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions before anything is made official,” LeBlanc said.
Despite the turmoil, Ford said he remains confident that tariffs will not rise. “The tariffs aren’t going up — and they aren’t going to go up,” he told the legislature.
Carney, meanwhile, urged calm, saying, “It doesn’t pay to be upset.” He noted that future discussions with Washington may focus on sector-specific trade deals, rather than the broader economic pact Canada had been pursuing.
Whether the premier’s bold approach will ultimately protect Ontario’s industries or further strain Canada-U.S. relations remains to be seen — but Ford made one thing clear: “When it comes to defending Ontario workers, I’ll never back down.”