Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has formally apologized to U.S. President Donald Trump for a controversial television advertisement that aired in the United States. This marks Carney’s second significant concession to the Trump administration within a few weeks. During a press briefing in Gyeongju, South Korea, where the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) concluded, Carney confirmed, “I did apologize to the president” after a dinner with world leaders earlier in the week.
The contentious advertisement, produced by the province of Ontario, featured an audio clip of former President Ronald Reagan expressing his opposition to tariffs. Trump reacted strongly to the ad, which aired during Major League Baseball games, breaking off trade negotiations and later imposing a new 10 percent tariff on Canadian goods when the ad resurfaced during the World Series.
Carney’s apology follows tensions that observers noted during the APEC dinner, where he and Trump were seated across from one another. While the Canadian leader acknowledged the rift, Trump later characterized their relationship positively, stating, “I like him a lot, but what they did was wrong.” He added, “It was a false commercial. It was the exact opposite — Ronald Reagan loved tariffs.”
This incident represents a notable setback for Carney, who has faced criticism for his handling of trade relations with the United States. In June, he rescinded a proposed 3 percent tax on major American technology firms, including Google, Amazon, and Meta, after Trump threatened additional tariffs if negotiations halted. This has drawn the ire of the opposition, particularly from Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party. Poilievre has publicly questioned Carney’s negotiation capabilities, reflecting on the promises made during the election campaign. “Mr. Carney promised a good deal by July 21, 2023. He promised he could negotiate a win with President Trump. Those were his promises,” Poilievre stated in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
The Ontario Premier, Doug Ford, has maintained a defiant stance regarding the advertisement, insisting he will “never apologize for fighting” for Ontario workers affected by American tariffs on key industries such as autos, steel, and aluminum. Ford defended the ad, which quoted Reagan’s words but faced criticism for lacking context, arguing that it served to remind viewers of Reagan’s wisdom.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute also condemned the ad, claiming it misrepresented the former president’s views on trade. Canadian fact-checkers have noted that while the ad accurately quoted Reagan, it provided an incomplete portrayal of his trade philosophy.
Despite the backlash, Ford expressed satisfaction with the ad’s impact, stating, “We achieved our goal. As we say, ‘mission accomplished.’ They’re talking about it in the U.S., and they weren’t talking about it before I put the ad on.”
As the political landscape shifts, the Canadian public remains primarily focused on the Toronto Blue Jays, who are competing in the World Series, marking the first appearance by a Canadian team in the championship since 1993.
