Ontario’s controversial ad featuring Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs aired during the World Series, becoming the latest flashpoint in trade tensions hours after former President Donald Trump announced new duties on Canadian goods. Premier Doug Ford confirmed the ad would stop playing in the US on Monday, October 27.
The ad, released by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, was expected and represents the latest escalation in trade disputes between the US and Canada. The advertisement initially drew Trump’s ire on Thursday night, prompting him to post to Truth Social that he was terminating all trade negotiations with Canada.
Despite the backlash, Ontario announced on Friday that the ad would only be pulled by Monday, after it had aired during the Friday and Saturday World Series games. On Saturday, hours before the ad played during game two, Trump said on Truth Social that he was adding an additional 10% tariff on Canadian goods.
The first two games of the World Series, between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, were played in Canada. The Blue Jays took game one on Friday with an 11-4 victory, while the Dodgers won 5-1 in game two.
The US-Canada relationship has seen a rocky year. A Canadian boycott against US goods began after Trump initially imposed a 25% tariff on nearly all imports—from lumber to auto parts—from the longtime ally earlier in the year. Canada retaliated with equal reciprocal tariffs.
After a few pauses, Trump increased the tariff on Canada to 35% in August for all goods not covered by the USMCA trade agreement, such as agricultural and wood products. He also raised tariffs to 50% on steel and aluminum imports from Canada as of June. In September, Canada lifted most of its retaliatory tariffs, except for those maintained on steel, aluminum, and auto imports.
Amid these disputes, Canada is focusing on market diversification. Srividya Jandhyala, an associate professor at the ESSEC Business School, noted that the Canadian government has set a goal of doubling non-US exports over the next decade and is beginning to re-engage with India and China.
“There is growing emphasis on diversifying markets and trading relationships, which would buffer against risk,” said Jandhyala. “For an individual exporter, the challenge is to find new customers in markets where they have previously not had partnerships, customers, or relationships.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
