The Detroit skyline in 2023. Detroit and Windsor, Ont., share a river, a border and a reliance on the auto industry.

Ontario’s Ronald Reagan ad campaign enraged a mercurial American President and torpedoed trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S.

But just across the river from Windsor, Ont., in Detroit, not everyone has noticed the 60-second TV ad that has chilled diplomatic relations with Canadian neighbours they’ve always considered family.

Pausing his bike ride to take a selfie with Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino in the background, Mike Johnson said he hasn’t seen the clip.

“I watch Channel 4, Channel 7, subscribe to the Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Wall Street Journal and I still have not seen these ads,” he said. “Read some stories about them. But haven’t seen them.

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