When you think about a disagreement between countries, you probably expect it to involve policies or money. But this time, what started it all was a quote from a speech that Ronald Reagan made almost forty years ago. That single line in a Canadian advertisement has now triggered a heated response from President Donald Trump, leading him to call off all trade talks with Canada.
What happened with the Reagan quote
The government of Ontario recently released a television ad meant to criticize the tariffs the United States placed on Canadian goods. The one minute ad featured clips from a 1987 radio speech by former President Ronald Reagan. In that speech, Reagan said, “Trade barriers hurt every American worker.”
The ad played his words over scenes of American and Canadian workers, cargo ships, and family life. The message was clear, trade restrictions harm both sides. Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford, said the goal was to remind Americans that both nations do better when they work together.
Ford even posted online saying, “Using every tool we have, we’ll never stop making the case against American tariffs on Canada. The way to prosperity is by working together.”
But while the ad was meant to promote unity, it did not sit well with Trump.
Trump’s reaction to the Canadian advertisement
Trump wasted no time responding. On his Truth Social platform, he accused Canada of using a “fraudulent” advertisement. He said the ad was “FAKE” and claimed that Canada was trying to interfere with U.S. court decisions about tariffs.
In his post, Trump wrote, “Based on their egregious behavior, all trade negotiations with Canada are hereby terminated.”
A few hours later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that trade talks with Ottawa had officially been suspended. Trump doubled down, saying “Canada cheated and got caught,” and argued that the ad was an attempt to sway the U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming hearings on his global tariffs.
Those hearings, which begin November 5, will decide whether Trump’s tariffs on imports are legal.
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Why Reagan’s speech matters
To understand why this ad caused such a stir, it helps to know a bit about Reagan’s original speech. Back in April 1987, he was speaking about trade tensions with Japan. At the time, he had imposed limited tariffs on Japanese goods like computer chips.
But even then, Reagan warned against using tariffs too freely. He said that although tariffs may seem patriotic, they end up hurting workers and consumers in the long run. His exact words were, “When someone says, ‘Let’s impose tariffs on foreign imports,’ it looks like they’re doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs. And sometimes, for a short while it works, but only for a short time. But over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer.”
It was a statement against protectionism, and that is what Ontario used to make its case against Trump’s current tariffs.
How the Reagan Foundation responded
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute quickly stepped in after the ad was released. The organization said that Ontario did not ask for or receive permission to use Reagan’s speech.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the foundation said the advertisement used “selective audio and video” that “misrepresents” Reagan’s comments. The foundation also added that it was “reviewing its legal options.”
Trump later cited that same statement as part of his reason for halting talks with Canada.
What it means for U.S. Canada trade
The dispute adds more tension to an already strained relationship. Since Trump’s return to office, he has raised tariffs on Canadian goods such as steel, aluminum, timber, and cars, from 25% to 35%.
Canada’s Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has said he is disappointed by the decision and plans to keep negotiating. He also said he would focus on lowering internal trade barriers within Canada and creating more homegrown investment opportunities.
Despite the political drama, trade between the two countries remains massive. More than three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the United States, and nearly 3.6 billion Canadian dollars’ worth of goods and services cross the border every day.
Looking ahead
Doug Ford has stood by the ad, saying that Reagan understood how closely tied both countries are. “Canada and the United States are friends, neighbours and allies,” he wrote on X.
Still, it is clear that Trump views this move as a direct challenge. And with trade tensions rising not only with Canada but also with China and Russia, the situation could become even more complicated.
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