Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he advised Ontario Premier Doug Ford not to air an anti-tariff advertisement that led President Donald Trump to halt trade negotiations with Canada.
Carney confirmed he apologized to Trump during a dinner at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, saying the president had been "offended."
The Ontario television spot, which aired in the United States, criticized Trump's tariffs using edited excerpts from a speech by former President Ronald Reagan.
The ad angered Trump, who ended trade discussions with Canada and announced plans to increase tariffs on Canadian imports by another 10%.
Asked Saturday how Ford responded to the request not to run the ad, Carney said, "Well, you saw what came of it."
"It's not something I would have done," he added at a news conference marking the end of his nine-day trip to Asia.
Ford, a populist Conservative, serves as Ontario's premier, a role comparable to that of a U.S. governor. Carney is a member of the Liberal Party.
"I'm the one who is responsible, in my role as prime minister, for the relationship with the president of the U.S., and the federal government is responsible for the foreign relationship with the U.S. government," Carney said.
A spokesperson for Ford did not immediately respond when asked whether Carney had requested that the ad not be aired.
Ford has previously said that both Carney and his chief of staff viewed the advertisement before its release.
The ad was withdrawn last Monday but continued to air during the first two games of the World Series.
Trump said the ad misrepresented Reagan's stance. Reagan, a two-term Republican president, had expressed skepticism about tariffs, and the 1987 speech cited in the ad largely made the case against them.
Trump also claimed the ad was intended to influence the U.S. Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear arguments this month on whether the president has the authority to impose broad tariffs, a key component of his economic agenda.
"The sole purpose of this FRAUD was Canada's hope that the United States Supreme Court will come to their 'rescue' on Tariffs that they have used for years to hurt the United States," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Carney met with Trump at the White House last month in an effort to negotiate a trade agreement that would reduce tariffs on key sectors, including steel and aluminum. Canadian industries such as aluminum, steel, auto manufacturing, and lumber have been affected by the measures.
More than three-quarters of Canada's exports go to the United States, with nearly $2.7 billion in goods and services crossing the border each day.
On Friday, Trump said he was not inclined to reopen trade talks with Canada.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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