Ontario is reversing course and pulling its controversial U.S. ad campaign targeting American tariffs — but only after the first two World Series games.
The World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers begins Friday night, with Game 2 set for Saturday.
Premier Doug Ford said he has directed his team to keep the commercial in front of U.S. audiences through the weekend before pausing the broader campaign on Monday, opening the door for trade talks to resume. He emphasized that voters elected him to protect Ontario’s workers, businesses, families and communities.
Ford's decision came hours after President Donald Trump said he was ending trade negotiations with Canada, citing the commercial that criticized U.S. tariff policy.
The ad featured the words of former President Ronald Reagan: “When someone says let's impose tariffs on foreign imports, it looks like they're doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs. And sometimes, for a short while, it works — but only for a short time.”
It continued: “High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. Then the worst happens: markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industries shut down, and millions of people lose their jobs.”
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The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute called the ad “misleading.”
“The ad misrepresents the presidential radio address, and the Government of Ontario did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks,” the institute said.
Hours after the institute’s statement, Trump said negotiations with Canada were off.
“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY AND ECONOMY OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president has not commented on the latest announcement about the ad being pulled.
Talks between the United States and Canada had continued after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Trump in the Oval Office on Oct. 7.
Although many Canadian goods have been exempt from tariffs, the United States has imposed 50 percent duties on steel and aluminum — measures Carney has acknowledged have hurt Canada’s economy.
Carney has sought to avoid escalating trade tensions, dropping some retaliatory tariffs imposed by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
