Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Friday the province will pause airing television ads featuring former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs after World Series games this weekend so that U.S.-Canada “trade talks can resume.”
Ford’s announcement came a day after President Donald Trump terminated trade negotiations with Canada because of the ad, which Ontario has been airing in U.S. markets.
Ford said he spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney before deciding to pause the ad, effective Monday.
Trump had cited claims Thursday by The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute that the ad misrepresents Reagan’s radio address speech from April 25, 1987, and that his remarks were edited without permission.
“Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses,” Ford said of the ad, which has aired in U.S. markets.
“We’ve achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels,” Ford said.
“I’ve directed my team to keep putting our message in front of Americans over the weekend so that we can air our commercial during the first two World Series games.”
Ford’s hometown Toronto Blue Jays are set to host the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first game of the Series on Friday night. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday night in Toronto.
Ford, who calls himself a “big Ronald Reagan fan,” first posted the ad on X on Oct. 16, days after saying that Ontario’s government would spend $75 million to run the ad in the United States.
“We’re going to repeat that message to every Republican district there is, right across the entire country,” said Ford.
On the ad, Reagan’s voice is heard saying, “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,” Reagan says. “But over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer.”
Source: CNBC
