Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling for calm and cooperation after U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly announced he was terminating trade negotiations with Canada over a new Ontario government ad campaign criticizing American tariffs.
“Canada and the United States are friends, neighbours, and allies. President Ronald Reagan knew that we are stronger together. God bless Canada and God bless the United States,” Ford posted Friday morning on social media, echoing Reagan’s pro-trade message.
Trump’s late-night social media post declared that all trade talks with Canada were “terminated,” calling the Ontario ads “fraudulent” and “egregious.” The advertisements, which reportedly cost $75 million, feature clips of Reagan’s 1987 address warning against the dangers of high tariffs and protectionism.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute quickly objected, saying the Ontario government “misrepresented” Reagan’s remarks and had not sought permission to use or edit the recording. However, the ad accurately quotes Reagan’s warning that “high tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation… and the triggering of fierce trade wars.”
Despite the backlash, Ford has defended the campaign, saying the goal is to “blast the message” across U.S. airwaves — especially in Republican regions where Trump’s support runs strongest — to remind Americans that free trade benefits both nations.
Trump, doubling down on Friday morning, accused Canada of trying to “illegally influence” the U.S. Supreme Court and of “cheating on tariffs,” claiming Canada has charged American farmers “as much as 400 per cent.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was with Ford in Ontario on Thursday, said Canada continues to pursue “constructive, sector-by-sector negotiations” with Washington on steel, aluminum, and energy. He acknowledged that a fully tariff-free trade deal is unlikely but said Ottawa remains committed to advancing progress ahead of next week’s ASEAN and APEC summits in Asia, where both leaders are expected to attend.
This is not the first time Trump has pulled out of trade talks via social media. In June, he abruptly suspended negotiations over Canada’s digital services tax, a move that further strained relations between the two countries.
As tensions flare again, Ford’s reference to Reagan’s 1988 free-trade legacy with former prime minister Brian Mulroney serves as a reminder of a time when Canada-U.S. relations were built on partnership — not posts.