Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Friday that the province will suspend its controversial anti-tariff advertising campaign in the United States after President Donald Trump abruptly terminated trade negotiations with Canada earlier this week.
The decision comes after days of escalating tension sparked by the Ontario government’s TV ad — which aired during Major League Baseball World Series broadcasts — criticizing U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods. The campaign will be paused beginning Monday to allow space for renewed discussions, Ford said.
The one-minute ad used excerpts from a 1987 speech by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, warning that tariffs “hurt every American.” Trump denounced the commercial on Truth Social, calling it “FAKE” and “egregious,” while alleging it distorted Reagan’s message.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation also rebuked the ad, accusing Ontario of selectively editing the footage and using it without authorization, and said it was reviewing legal options.
Ford defended the campaign as a “conversation starter,” saying its purpose was to highlight how U.S. tariffs harm both American consumers and Ontario industries, particularly in automobile manufacturing and metals.
“We’ve achieved our goal — reaching audiences at the highest levels of U.S. leadership,” Ford said. “It’s time now to pause and let diplomacy work.”
The ad, part of Ontario’s $75 million media push, drew criticism from some Canadian officials who said Ford’s combative tone risked worsening trade tensions.
Ontario has been hit hard by Trump’s tariffs — including 50% duties on metals and 25% on automobiles — resulting in job losses and pressure on key manufacturing hubs.
While Prime Minister Mark Carney has pursued a diplomatic, face-to-face approach to resolving the dispute, Ford has favored a more aggressive strategy, including removing U.S. liquor from provincial shelves and threatening to restrict energy exports.
The campaign followed Stellantis’s decision to relocate production from Brampton, Ontario, a move Ford said underscored the urgent need to protect domestic jobs.
Trade experts say Ford’s ad may have complicated already fragile negotiations. “The timing and tone of the ad created an unnecessary distraction,” said Laura Dawson, a cross-border trade analyst. “But Ford’s underlying message — defending Ontario’s industrial base — resonated with many Canadians.”
As of Friday, Trump had not responded to Ontario’s decision to suspend the campaign.
Carney, meanwhile, continues to seek a reset in trade relations, having lifted several retaliatory tariffs and scrapped Canada’s digital services tax in an effort to rebuild goodwill.
Analysts warn that, regardless of tone, Canada’s economic dependence on the U.S. remains a critical vulnerability — one that both federal and provincial leaders are now under pressure to address through diversification and new trade partnerships in Asia.
