Doug Ford speaks at Queen’s Park after defending anti-tariff ads, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (The Canadian Press)
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he will “never apologize” for standing up to U.S. trade tariffs, even as the province’s anti-tariff ad campaign led to the collapse of trade talks between Canada and the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump accused Canada of playing “dirty” after the ads aired across major American networks, claiming that Ontario later apologized and agreed to pull them. Ford dismissed that narrative, saying his government has nothing to regret.
Ford Hails the Campaign as a “Massive Success”
The television ad — featuring late U.S. president Ronald Reagan warning against tariffs in a 1987 speech — aired during baseball playoff broadcasts and quickly went viral. Trump criticized it repeatedly on social media, amplifying its reach.
Ford called the campaign the most successful ad “in North American history,” claiming it exceeded all expectations.
“Oh my goodness, did we get our money’s worth,” Ford said Monday at Queen’s Park. “We expected one billion ad impressions, but the coverage generated more than eleven billion views in just a week.”
He said the goal was never to provoke Trump but to remind Americans that tariffs “hurt both sides.”
Trump Suspends Talks, Threatens More Tariffs
Trump announced Thursday that he was halting trade discussions with Canada over the ad, later threatening to impose an additional 10 per cent tariff. When pressed for details, he declined to say when or if the tariffs would take effect.
Ford, however, suggested the threat might be political posturing. “The tariffs aren’t going up, and they aren’t going to go up,” he said in Ontario’s legislature.
In Ottawa, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc also urged caution, saying no new tariffs had been confirmed. “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions,” he told reporters in French.
Carney Says Canada Ready to Resume Talks
Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking after the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, said trade negotiations had been “detailed and comprehensive” before Trump’s sudden decision to suspend them. Carney added that Canada remains prepared to resume talks when the U.S. returns to the table.
But Ford questioned how much progress was really being made. “I’ve heard about a deal coming for months, yet auto hasn’t even been mentioned,” he said. “I have to fight for Ontario’s autoworkers, steelworkers, and manufacturing jobs.”
Reagan Foundation Dispute Adds Fuel
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation later accused Ontario of misusing Reagan’s speech without permission, saying the remarks were edited out of context. Ontario maintains the footage is public domain.
Trump also claimed the ad distorted Reagan’s views, saying the former president “loved tariffs.” Ford disagreed, urging people to “look up Reagan’s record” on free trade.
Bruce Bartlett, who served as a policy adviser in Reagan’s White House, supported Ford’s position, writing online that the ad was “100% accurate.”
Provinces Divided, But Some Stand With Ford
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the controversy spiraled after the Reagan Foundation intervened, while Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew backed Ford’s tough stance. “It’s good that President Trump has to squirm,” Kinew said. “A bad deal would be worse than no deal.”
Despite Trump’s criticism, Ford said he will continue to defend Ontario’s interests. “I’m not here to please anyone,” he said. “I’m here to protect Ontario jobs.”
