Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has publicly acknowledged apologizing to U.S. President Donald Trump regarding a controversial anti-tariff advertisement. The ad, commissioned by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, featured a clip of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan warning that tariffs lead to trade wars and economic turmoil. Carney revealed that he privately apologized to Trump during a dinner hosted by South Korea’s president at an Asia-Pacific summit last week. He also confirmed that he had advised Ford against airing the ad, stating, ‘I told Ford I did not want to go forward with the ad.’ Despite Carney’s efforts, Trump responded by escalating tariffs on Canadian goods and halting trade negotiations between the two nations. Trump described his conversation with Carney as ‘very nice’ but reiterated that trade talks would not resume. Meanwhile, Carney’s visit to Asia, including discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, marked a significant step in improving Canada-China relations, which have been strained in recent years due to issues such as foreign interference and the detention of Canadian citizens in China. Carney emphasized that reducing Canada’s reliance on the U.S. is a priority, though it remains a gradual process.
‘I did apologise to Trump’: Canada PM asks authorities not to run anti-tariff ad
