Prime Minister Mark Carney directly linked the collapse of Canada-US trade negotiations to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s anti-tariff advertising campaign, stating the two countries had been making progress on steel and aluminum tariffs until the ads aired in October.
Carney told reporters in Malaysia that Canada and the United States held detailed discussions “up until the point of those ads running.” President Donald Trump ended the talks October 23 and threatened additional tariffs after Ontario ran a $75 million television campaign featuring former President Ronald Reagan criticizing protectionism.
The prime minister confirmed he saw the ad before it aired and told Ford he opposed running it. When asked what Ford’s response was to that warning, Carney replied: “Well, you saw what came of it.”
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“It’s not something I would have done,” Carney said at a news conference in South Korea, adding that he apologized to Trump because “the president was offended by the ad.”
Carney emphasized federal responsibility for US relations. “I’m the one who is responsible in my role as prime minister for the relationship with the president of the US,” he said.
Ford defended the campaign and refused to apologize. The Conservative premier previously said Carney and his chief of staff watched the ad before its release but allowed it to run during World Series games despite Carney’s calls from Asia to pull it.
Related: Trump Administration Threatens Withdrawal from North American Trade Pact
Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said negotiations with the Trump administration remain suspended. The two leaders met briefly December 5 at the FIFA World Cup draw in Washington but made no announcement on resuming formal talks.
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