Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed on Saturday that he had apologized to President Trump earlier this week. This came after an advertisement aired in Ontario, which criticized Trump’s tariffs and invoked former President Ronald Reagan’s stance against such trade policies.
Carney mentioned to reporters following the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea that he had attempted to persuade Ontario Premier Doug Ford not to run the ad. “I apologized to the president,” Carney stated, as reported by Reuters.
He explained, “The president was offended by that act, or by that ad…It wasn’t my role to run that ad, so I offered my apology.” The New York Times also covered his comments.
On Friday, Trump shared with reporters that he had spoken with Carney, referring to him as “very kind.” He further mentioned, “The president apologized for what he did in the commercial, which was a false depiction. It was the exact opposite. President Ronald Reagan supported tariffs, but they chose to ignore that.” Trump expressed appreciation for Carney’s apology while speaking aboard Air Force One.
Despite Carney’s efforts, Ford had aired the ad, opposing Trump’s import tax increases. The ad was also slated to be displayed during the 2025 World Series featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Trump attributed the controversial footage to potentially being altered or created with artificial intelligence. He accused Canada of distributing misinformation and subsequently announced a halt to trade negotiations, along with a 10% increase in existing tariffs on Canadian goods.
While appreciating Carney’s concessions, Trump stated he had no plans to revive trade talks with Canada at this point.
Local leaders have supported Ford’s position regarding the ad. Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown expressed his backing, saying, “I support the premier’s approach. It covers a lot of ground.”
Brown also noted that despite Reagan’s rhetoric, the impact of tariffs as a burden on the U.S. over the long term is true.
Furthermore, Trump claimed that Canada is attempting to intervene in a Supreme Court case that addresses challenges to the government’s tariffs, with oral arguments set for November 5th.
