US President Donald Trump has announced a 10% tariff increase on Canadian goods in retaliation for an anti-tariff television ad sponsored by the Ontario government. The move further strains already tense relations between the two countries, which are tied together through one of the world's largest trade partnerships.
In his Truth Social post, Trump accused the ad of being a "fraud" and claimed it was an attempt by Canada to get the US Supreme Court to intervene on their behalf regarding long-standing tariffs. The ad itself referenced Ronald Reagan's support for free trade and sparked Trump's ire, leading him to terminate negotiations with Canada.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced that his province will suspend its US ad campaign in an effort to reopen trade talks. However, the exact goods affected by the tariff increase have not been specified, as most Canadian exports to the US are exempt from tariffs due to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Trade experts say that the move is a sign of escalating tensions between the two countries, with Canada's economy already suffering under sector tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum. "Tariffs at any level remain a tax on America first, then North American competitiveness as a whole," said Candace Laing, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute has also spoken out against the ad, claiming it used "selective audio and video" and misrepresents Reagan's comments. The foundation is now reviewing its legal options in response to Trump's claim that the advert was a "fraud".
Canada and the US are set to meet at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia, but President Trump has said he has no plans to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In his Truth Social post, Trump accused the ad of being a "fraud" and claimed it was an attempt by Canada to get the US Supreme Court to intervene on their behalf regarding long-standing tariffs. The ad itself referenced Ronald Reagan's support for free trade and sparked Trump's ire, leading him to terminate negotiations with Canada.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced that his province will suspend its US ad campaign in an effort to reopen trade talks. However, the exact goods affected by the tariff increase have not been specified, as most Canadian exports to the US are exempt from tariffs due to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Trade experts say that the move is a sign of escalating tensions between the two countries, with Canada's economy already suffering under sector tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum. "Tariffs at any level remain a tax on America first, then North American competitiveness as a whole," said Candace Laing, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute has also spoken out against the ad, claiming it used "selective audio and video" and misrepresents Reagan's comments. The foundation is now reviewing its legal options in response to Trump's claim that the advert was a "fraud".
Canada and the US are set to meet at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia, but President Trump has said he has no plans to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
. I mean, come on Donald, can't you just chill? A little ad about Ronald Reagan's support for free trade and suddenly you're all bent out of shape? 
And now Canada's got their backs up and they're suspending their ads too... it's like the whole world is watching this trainwreck unfold 
. I feel bad for Candace Laing, she's just trying to make a point about how tariffs are hurting North American competitiveness 
. And what's with all these claims from Trump and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation? It sounds like they're just trying to deflect attention from their own mistakes 
. Overall, this whole situation is just a big mess...
this is getting out of hand 
like, can't we all just get along 
? a tv ad about free trade and suddenly the whole thing blows up into a huge tariff fight 
? it's just so... so... annoying 
. and now canada is suspending its ads and trudeau doesn't even want to meet with trump 
. i mean, can we please focus on something else for once? trade wars are bad enough without all the drama 
.
. It's not just about politics or business deals, it's people's livelihoods we're talking about. A 10% tariff increase is a big deal, and if most exports are exempt, who's gonna get hurt? Families, small businesses... I feel for 'em 
.
. When are we gonna have a real conversation about how to resolve these issues?
. I hope trade talks can be restarted, but it seems like every step forward is met with another hurdle 
.
. Let's focus on finding solutions that benefit everyone, not just a select few 
.
. It's like, dude, grow up already 
. And what's with this whole "America first" thing? Isn't that supposed to be about supporting American businesses, not tearing down our relationships with other countries? 
like, what's the point of increasing tariffs on Canadian goods if it's just gonna hurt both countries in the long run? 
and btw, who puts their economic fate into the hands of some ad campaign? 
It's like, we're all in this together, right? Canada and the US have been through thick and thin, and now we just need to find some common ground.
.