President Donald Trump has terminated trade talks with Canada and slapped an additional 10% tariff on their goods, all because of what he calls a ‘fake’ ad using Ronald Reagan’s words against tariffs. ‘I don’t want to meet with him, no,’ Trump snapped from Air Force One when asked about facing off with PM Mark Carney at the APEC summit.
The drama unfolded after Ontario’s anti-tariff campaign quoted Reagan’s 1987 warning on trade wars, prompting backlash. Carney, speaking in Malaysia, offered to restart negotiations despite no recent contact with Trump.
‘We stand ready to sit down with the United States, myself with the president… when the US is ready to sit down,’ Carney told reporters.
The Ronald Reagan Foundation fired back on X, accusing Ontario of ‘selective audio and video’ and eyeing legal action, while the province pulled the ad to salvage talks.
With Trump’s tariffs already hammering Canadian steel, aluminum, and auto sectors—causing job losses and business woes—this feud raises the stakes. Progress on energy and metals was nearly there before the blowup.
Is this protectionism gone wild, or is Canada playing dirty? One thing’s clear: global trade hangs in the balance, and everyday folks pay the price. What would you do in Carney’s shoes?
Sources: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, APEC Summit Reports
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