Ontario Premier Says Carney Urged Ford to Withdraw Anti-Tariff Ad

Ontario Premier Doug Ford revealed that Prime Minister Mark Carney contacted him multiple times from Asia, urging him to withdraw an ad campaign that allegedly ended trade discussions with the United States. Ford stated that Carney disapproved of the ad, which featured clips of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan critiquing tariffs.

Details on the Controversial Ad

Ford confirmed that Carney made several calls request the ad’s removal. However, he disagreed with Carney’s take on their conversation, indicating his remembrance of their discussions differed. Ford initially resisted pulling the ads and only paused them shortly after Carney’s calls.

Impact on Trade Relations

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump halted trade negotiations, attributing his decision to the airing of the advertisements. Ford conceded to discontinue the ads, yet they continued to run during the World Series games. This led Trump to threaten an additional 10 percent tariff on Canadian goods.

Financial Aspects of the Ad Campaign

• The Ontario government allocated approximately $75 million to run the ads on U.S. television.
• Ford claimed the ad has amassed 12.4 billion views, asserting that it holds the record for the most viewed ad globally.
• Although the original ad campaign was set to extend through winter, the recent developments will likely reduce taxpayer costs.

Reactions and Future Prospects

Carney reportedly expressed remorse to Trump for the offense the ad caused. Nonetheless, Ford claimed he was not notified about this apology in advance. The Prime Minister’s Office refrained from comment, emphasizing the federal government’s role in directly engaging with the U.S. administration.

Despite the controversy, Ford remains optimistic about the ad’s effectiveness. He pointed to a U.S. Senate resolution against tariffs and noted that the advertisement influenced several Republican senators to change their stance during discussions.

Currently, Canada-U.S. trade talks remain stalled. However, the Canadian government has expressed its readiness to resume negotiations when appropriate.