Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province will “pause” its U.S. advertising campaign on tariffs as of Monday so that trade talks can resume after U.S. President Donald Trump broke off trade negotiations with Canada over the ads.
“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 in a post on X Friday afternoon. “We’ve achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels.”
Ford said he’s directed his team to keep running the ads in the U.S. over the weekend so that they will air during the first two games of the World Series.
He said he made the decision to pause the ads going forward following a conversation with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
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. We've achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels. I've directed my team to keep putting our…
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) October 24, 2025
“The people elected our government to protect Ontario—our workers, businesses, families and communities,” Ford wrote. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.”
He reiterated that both countries are “so much stronger when we work together.”
Earlier Friday, Ford’s office confirmed to CTV News that the advertisement, which is part of a $75 million campaign, will be shown during the Fox broadcast of Game 1 of the World Series in the United States tonight.
Ford launched the ad campaign earlier this month using clips of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan, a beloved republican politician, discussing the harmful impact of tariffs.
Trump reacted sharply to the ads in a social media post late Thursday night, accusing Canada of “fraudulently” using the clips, which the president described as “fake.”
In response to Trump’s comments, Ford took to social media on Friday morning to post the full Youtube link to Reagan’s 1987 radio address, where he speaks out against tariffs and discusses the importance of free but fair trade.
“Canada and the United States are friends, neighbours and allies. President Ronald Reagan knew that we are stronger together. God bless Canada and God bless the United States,” the premier wrote.
Canada and the United States are friends, neighbours and allies. President Ronald Reagan knew that we are stronger together.
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) October 24, 2025
God bless Canada and God bless the United States.https://t.co/n1Nj6ofNZU
Trump declared Thursday that all negotiations with Canada would be terminated in the wake of the ads.
“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” he wrote on Truth Social on Thursday night.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute also reacted to the ads, accusing the Ontario government of “using selective audio and video” clips and misrepresenting Reagan’s remarks.
“The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is reviewing its legal options in this matter,” a written statement from the foundation read.
But the clips in the ads, which have aired on various U.S. networks, appear to accurately quote the former president, who gave the address to explain new duties on Japanese products in response to Japan’s violation of a trade agreement on semiconductors.
This is not the first time Ford has riled up the U.S. president.
Ford’s decision back in March to add a 25 per cent surcharge to the energy it supplies to some U.S. states prompted a strong reaction from the president, who vowed to double the 25 per cent tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum. Ford ultimately opted to “pause” the surcharge and Trump did not move ahead with his plan to double the tariff.
Just hours before Trump’s announcement on Thursday, both Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney attended a news conference in Pickering to make an energy announcement.
‘I support the prime minister 1,000 per cent’
At the news conference, Carney said that negotiations with the U.S. are ongoing and Canada is hoping to secure deals on specific sectors, including steel and aluminum.
Ford has previously suggested that Canada needs to consider reciprocal tariffs amid the slow pace of negotiations with the Trump administration.
“We can’t just keep rolling over to President Trump. As he strengthens his case, we seem to be weakening our case by continuously pulling off (retaliatory) tariffs,” he said earlier this month.
“I would take a different approach. Try to get a deal if you can but we have to hit them back hard and not stop hitting them back hard because we can never take a back seat to anyone, especially President Trump.”
Canada lifted many of its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods in August.
But on Thursday, Ford appeared to soften that stance when speaking alongside Carney in the GTA.
“It might be a little easier for me to sit here and say what I say, but it is a lot tougher when someone is sitting across from Donald Trump and he has a big hammer in his hand,” Ford said of Carney’s position, adding that he and the prime minister are “100 per cent on the same page.”
“I support the prime minister 1,000 per cent… I have all the confidence he is going to get this deal done,” Ford said.
The premier noted that the province’s goal is to send a message to Americans that tariffs will hurt both country’s economies.
“The message that we are sending is really… Ronald Reagan’s message,” he said. “Protectionism does not work. A tariff on Canada is a tax on Americans.”
With files from CTV News Supervising Producer Stephanie Ha and CP24’s Chris Fox
