US President Donald Trump has raised tariffs on Canadian goods after Ontario aired an anti-tariff advertisement featuring former US President Ronald Reagan.
Trump branded the advert a “fraud” and criticised Canadian officials for refusing to remove it before the World Series baseball championship. “Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now,” he wrote on social media on Saturday.
Trade relations between US and Canada hit new low
Trump had already pulled out of trade talks with Canada on Thursday. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Friday he would suspend the province’s anti-tariff campaign in the US after speaking with Prime Minister Mark Carney “so that trade talks can resume.”
Ford confirmed, however, that the advert would still air over the weekend during World Series games between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Canada remains the only G7 country without a trade agreement with the US since Trump began imposing steep tariffs on key allies. The US currently applies a 35% levy on Canadian goods, though many are exempt under an existing free trade deal. Sector-specific tariffs include a 50% levy on metals and 25% on automobiles.
While traveling to Asia, Trump said he would add another ten percentage points to those existing taxes. Around three-quarters of Canada’s exports go to the US, and Ontario is home to most of the country’s automobile industry.
Reagan speech fuels diplomatic storm
Ontario’s government sponsored the controversial advert, which used part of a 1987 Reagan speech on foreign trade. The former president said tariffs “hurt every American,” a message aimed at opposing protectionist policies.
The Ronald Reagan Foundation, which safeguards Reagan’s legacy, condemned the advert for “selective editing” and said it distorted his message. It also stated that Ontario had not sought permission to use the material.
In a follow-up post, Trump said the advert should have been taken down earlier. “Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD,” he wrote while flying to Malaysia.
Ford had previously pledged to run the Reagan-themed advert in every Republican-led district across the United States.
Trump rules out meeting during Asia visit
Both Trump and Carney are attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he has no “intention” of meeting with his Canadian counterpart during the trip.
In his post, Trump accused Canada of trying to influence an upcoming US Supreme Court case that could determine whether his tariff policy is constitutional. The case is expected to be heard next month, which Trump called “THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE EVER.”
World Series becomes a stage for tariff humor
Ontario has used the World Series as a platform to mock Trump’s tariff policy. In a playful video released on Friday, Ford and California Governor Gavin Newsom joked about the Blue Jays-Dodgers matchup.
They placed lighthearted bets on the winner, with Ford promising to send Newsom a can of maple syrup if the Dodgers win. “The tariff might cost me a few extra bucks at the border these days, but it’ll be worth it,” Ford said.
Newsom replied by asking Ford to allow American-made alcohol back into Ontario’s liquor stores. He promised to send “California’s championship-worthy wine” if the Blue Jays win.
The two governors ended their exchange with a toast: “Here’s to a great World Series, and a tariff-free friendship between Ontario and California.”
