Prime Minister Mark Carney revealed that he advised Ontario Premier Doug Ford against launching an anti-tariff advertisement that led to a breakdown in trade negotiations with the United States. During a press conference on Saturday, Carney stated, "Well, you saw what came of it," when asked about Ford's response to his advice.

Carney confirmed that he apologized to U.S. President Donald Trump for the ad, which Trump found offensive. This apology occurred during a dinner hosted by the South Korean president at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju. Carney emphasized his responsibility as prime minister for maintaining a good relationship with the U.S. government.

The ad campaign, which featured a 1987 speech by former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs, was aired in the U.S. and generated significant attention. Initially, Trump seemed unfazed, suggesting that if he were Canada, he would have run the same ad. However, he later expressed frustration, labeling Canada’s actions as “egregious” and announcing the suspension of trade talks.

Trump claimed the ad was misleading, asserting that Reagan supported tariffs, despite analyses indicating that Reagan opposed protectionism and signed the 1988 Free Trade Agreement with Canada. On Air Force One, Trump stated he has a good relationship with Carney but criticized the ad campaign, saying, "What they did was wrong."

Carney described the situation as "noise" and maintained that Canada still enjoys the best trade deal with the U.S. under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement. He noted that most Canada-U.S. trade is exempt from tariffs, although specific sectors like steel and aluminum face additional tariffs.

Ford has defended the ad campaign, claiming it was a success due to its wide reach. He stated that he consulted with Carney and his chief of staff before airing the ad on October 8. Ford has consistently refrained from disclosing details of his conversations with Carney regarding the ad.

Despite the controversy, Carney expressed readiness to resume trade negotiations whenever the U.S. is prepared to continue discussions. He remarked, "We’ll wait until they’re ready," indicating that Canada is open to addressing issues related to tariffs on specific goods. The fallout from the ad campaign has raised questions about the dynamics between Carney and Ford, as well as the future of trade relations between Canada and the U.S.