Ontario’s populist leader, Premier Doug Ford, is once again making waves, proving why he’s earned the nickname ‘Captain Canada.’
Known for his provocative actions that often irk President Trump, the conservative premier staged another dramatic confrontation with a new anti-tariff advertising campaign. This ad prominently featured authentic 1987 audio of Ronald Reagan, in which the former president emphatically denounced tariffs as detrimental.
In response, President Trump took to social media late Thursday night, branding the Ontario-funded ad as ‘fraudulent’ and swiftly declaring an end to ongoing trade discussions with Canada.
Despite Trump’s allegations, the audio in the ad was entirely genuine. While a five-minute original Reagan radio address was condensed into a one-minute commercial, careful edits ensured that the core message remained intact: Reagan’s strong opposition to tariffs. The commercial accurately quoted Reagan’s criticisms of tariffs’ economic impact, simply reordering the segments for brevity.
Reagan’s original address clearly articulated how tariffs ultimately ‘hurt every American worker and consumer,’ stifling company competitiveness and sparking trade wars that lead to job losses for Americans.
Undeterred by President Trump’s immediate backlash, Ford escalated the situation Friday morning by publicly sharing the complete Reagan address, seemingly as a direct challenge to the ‘fraudulent’ accusations.
Ford’s post emphasized: ‘Canada and the United States are friends, neighbors and allies. President Ronald Reagan knew that we are stronger together.’
However, by Friday afternoon, Ford’s stance softened after a conversation with Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney.
In a subsequent statement, Ford announced the ad would air during the first two World Series games on Friday and Saturday, then be withdrawn on Monday to allow trade talks to resume. (For context, the Toronto Blue Jays are currently facing the Los Angeles Dodgers).
Prime Minister Mark Carney, a composed former banker and leader of the Liberal Party, shares an amicable but contrasting relationship with the more flamboyant Ford. Carney has, however, refrained from directly commenting on Trump’s public outburst.
Carney confirmed that American and Canadian officials had been engaged in ‘detailed, constructive’ discussions regarding tariffs on steel, aluminum, and energy.
He reiterated his frequent message during U.S. trade impasses: ‘We stand ready to pick up on those discussions when the Americans are ready. For months, we have stressed the importance of distinguishing things we can control and things we can’t control. We can’t control the trade policy of the United States.’
Carney delivered these remarks from the Ottawa tarmac before departing for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Kuala Lumpur, Asia, an event President Trump is also slated to attend.
While the United States maintains a generally low average tariff rate on Canadian goods due to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, it has imposed significant tariffs on vital Canadian sectors not covered by the agreement, including automobiles, steel, aluminum, and lumber.
This audacious move—an ad designed to sway American public opinion against U.S. tariffs on Canadian products, utilizing the words of a former Republican president—was classic Ford.
During the ad campaign’s launch on October 16, Ford recounted hearing Reagan’s anti-tariff statements and thinking: ‘Let’s take Ronald Reagan’s words and let’s blast it to the American people.’
This isn’t Ford’s first time clashing with Trump. Previously, he provoked the president by suggesting Ontario, a major exporter, could reduce electricity sales to New England to pressure the U.S. administration into removing tariffs.
Earlier this year, Ford also launched a milder ad campaign in the U.S., leveraging Fox to demonstrate to Republican voters the extensive economic and cultural ties between Ontario and the United States.
Furthermore, when Trump repeatedly floated the idea of annexing Canada as the 51st state in late 2024 and early 2025, Ford was quick to respond, becoming the first prominent Canadian politician to wear a ‘Canada is not for sale’ cap.
Among his initial retaliatory measures against U.S. tariffs, Ford removed American liquor products from the shelves of the government-controlled Liquor Control Board of Ontario stores, a significant global purchaser of American alcohol.
Ford, who was caught on a hot mic earlier this year admitting his past support for Trump before the trade tensions, has a substantial personal and political stake in the ongoing U.S.-Canada trade dispute.
Ontario, Canada’s most populous province and economic engine, is home to both the capital, Ottawa, and financial hub, Toronto. It is deeply intertwined with the U.S. economy. Tariffs are severely impacting several key Ontario sectors, and Trump’s policies, coupled with pressure to shift auto production to the U.S., have led to thousands of job losses for Ontarians.
Ontario’s vital automotive industry has experienced two significant setbacks this month, directly linked to President Trump’s trade policies.
Automotive giant Stellantis announced plans to relocate production of a new Jeep model from an idle factory in Brampton, a Toronto suburb, to a facility in Illinois. This decision leaves the fate of approximately 3,000 workers, laid off in 2023 for retooling, uncertain.
Adding to the concerns, General Motors announced on Tuesday that it would cease electric van production in Ontario, resulting in an estimated 1,200 job losses.
Correction: An earlier version of a picture caption incorrectly identified Doug Ford as the premier of Ottawa. He is the premier of Ontario.