Canadian Prime Minister Says He Told Ontario’s Premier Not To Run Anti-Tariff Ad That Upset Trump
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says he told Ontario’s premier not to run an anti-tariff ad that stirred U.S. President Donald Trump. ending trade talks With Canada.
Carney also confirmed that he apologized to the president at the dinner. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit because Trump was “offended.”
Ontario’s television commercial aired in the United States He criticized Trump’s tariffs referring to a speech from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
The ad infuriated Trump, who has ended trade talks with Canada and said he plans to raise tariffs on imports of Canadian goods by another 10%.
Asked Saturday what Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s response was to being asked not to air the ad, Carney said, “Well, you saw what it was.”
“It’s not something I would do,” Carney added at a news conference as he wrapped up a nine-day trip to Asia.
Ford is a populist Conservative, Carney is a Liberal. As prime minister, Ford is the equivalent of a US governor.
“As prime minister, I am responsible for relations with the president of the United States, and the federal government is responsible for foreign relations with the United States government,” Carney said.
A spokesman for Ford did not immediately respond when asked if Carney told Ford not to air the ad.
Ford has previously said Carney and Carney’s chief of staff watched the ad before it aired.
Ford pulled the ad last Monday but allowed it to be shown during the first two games of baseball’s World Series.
Boston Globe via Getty Images
Trump said that the ad misrepresented the position of Reagan, who was president for two terms and one of the popular names of the Republican Party. Reagan was wary of the tariffs, however, and used much of his 1987 address in Ontario’s ad making the case against them.
Trump complained ad aimed to influence US Supreme Court planned arguments He could decide this month whether he has the authority to impose broad tariffs that are a key part of Trump’s economic strategy. Lower courts ruled he overstepped his authority.
Carney had met with Trump at the White House last month and was trying to ensure his safety. a trade agreement Reducing some tariffs on sectors such as steel and aluminum. Tariffs get paid in the aluminum, steel, automotive and timber industries.
More than three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the United States, with about 3.6 billion Canadian dollars ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services crossing the border every day.
