TORONTO (AP) — The leader of Canada’s most populous province posted remarks by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan on social media Friday, showing Reagan’s opposition to tariffs. This came hours after President Donald Trump announced he was ending “all trade negotiations” with Canada, citing a television ad that Trump claimed misrepresents Reagan’s stance on tariffs.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford stood firm, emphasizing that Canada and the U.S. are “friends, neighbors and allies,” and that “Reagan knew that both are stronger together.” Ford shared a link to a Reagan speech in which the late president expressed his opposition to tariffs.
On Thursday, Trump posted, “The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs.” Trump doubled down on his criticism of the Ontario ads on Friday, accusing Canada of attempting to influence an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling on his global tariff regime.
Trump’s call to abruptly end negotiations has further inflamed trade tensions between the two neighbors and longtime allies. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated earlier this week that he aims to double Canada’s exports to countries outside the U.S. due to the threat posed by Trump’s tariffs.
Canadian officials remain open to continuing talks to reduce tariffs in certain sectors. “We can’t control the trade policy of the United States. We recognize that that policy has fundamentally changed from the 1980s,” Carney said Friday morning before boarding a flight to Asia. “We have to focus on what we can control and realize what we can’t control.”
Carney is attempting to secure a trade deal with Trump, but tariffs are taking a toll, particularly in the aluminum, steel, auto, and lumber industries.
The Ontario government spent approximately 75 million Canadian dollars (about US$54 million) on the ads to air across multiple American television stations. The ads used audio and video of former President Reagan speaking about tariffs in 1987.
On Thursday night, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the Ontario government’s ad “misrepresents the ‘Presidential Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade’ dated April 25, 1987.” The foundation added that Ontario did not have permission to use or edit the remarks.
The foundation said it is “reviewing legal options in this matter” and invited the public to watch the unedited video of Reagan’s address.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Canada’s economy and sovereignty with tariffs, including the controversial claim that Canada could become “the 51st state.”
Jason Kenney, a former Conservative cabinet minister under ex-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, called Trump’s post “just embarrassing.” He defended the Ontario ad, stating on social media, “The Ontario ad does not misrepresent President Reagan’s anti-tariff radio address in any respect whatsoever. It is a direct replay of his radio address, formatted for a one-minute ad.”
Kenney added, “Everything that Reagan said in his pro-free trade April, 1987 radio message is consistent with the ad. In fact, everything he ever said about trade, before and after becoming President, is consistent with his principled opposition to tariffs.”
He also criticized the Reagan Foundation, saying, “They know perfectly well that the Ontario ad captures precisely President Reagan’s opposition to tariffs, and support for free trade. But it is obvious that the Foundation now has gormless leadership which is easily intimidated by a call from the White House, yet another sign of the hugely corrosive influence of Trump on the American conservative movement.”
https://wtop.com/national/2025/10/ontario-premier-doesnt-back-down-against-trump-posts-video-of-reagan-opposing-tariffs/
