US President Donald Trump abruptly announced on Thursday evening (October 23) that the United States would terminate all trade negotiations with Canada. Trump claimed that a television advertisement sponsored by the government of Ontario, Canada, included audio of former US President Ronald Reagan expressing negative views on tariff policies, calling it an "egregious behavior" that distorted Reagan's original intent.
US media outlets pointed out that Trump has repeatedly threatened to halt trade negotiations with Canada. If the talks remain stalled for an extended period, it could significantly impact the economies of both countries, particularly Canada.
Trump stated on social media that the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation had accused the Ontario government's advertisement of misrepresenting Reagan's speech. The foundation recently announced that the advertisement fraudulently used footage of President Reagan, fabricating his opposition to tariffs. The advertisement cost 75 million Canadian dollars (approximately HK$410 million), and its purpose was to interfere with the US Supreme Court's ruling on tariff policies. "Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED," Trump declared.
The report noted that the advertisement in question was part of a campaign by the government of Ontario, quoting Reagan from a 1987 speech. At the time, Reagan sarcastically explained that his imposition of tariffs on Japanese electronics was an exception, emphasizing that his goal had always been to reduce tariffs and trade barriers. Reagan argued that while tariffs might seem patriotic, they would ultimately lead to intense trade wars. "In the long run, these trade barriers harm every American worker and consumer," he said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced earlier this month during a speech in Toronto that the government would invest heavily in airing this advertisement on major US television networks. Ford has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with US tariff policies toward Canada. In January of this year, he stated that Canada must be prepared to immediately take strong countermeasures against US tariff policies.
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