🔗 Share this article

US President Donald Trump has declared he is hiking duties on goods brought in from Canada after the region of Ontario ran an anti-tariff commercial featuring ex-President Ronald Reagan.

In a Truth Social message on the weekend, the President described the advertisement a "deception" and lashed out at Canada's leaders for not pulling it ahead of the MLB finals.

"Because of their significant distortion of the reality, and aggressive move, I am raising the Tariff on Canada by 10 percent in addition to what they are currently paying now," Trump posted.

Subsequent to Trump on Thursday ended trade negotiations with Canadian officials, the Ontario's leader announced he would pull the advertisement.

Ontario's Reaction

Ontario Leader the Premier announced on Friday that he would pause his province's anti-import tax commercial series in the America, informing the media that he chose after discussions with the Prime Minister Mark Carney "so that commercial discussions can continue".

He added it would continue to air on Saturday and Sunday, during matches for the World Series, which includes the Blue Jays against the Dodgers.

Trade Situation

Canada is the sole G7 nation that has not reached a agreement with the America since Donald Trump started seeking to levy significant import taxes on items from key trading partners.

The America has earlier applied a 35% duty on all Canadian goods - though the majority are free under an present trade deal. It has also slapped sector-specific taxes on Canadian items, such as a fifty percent levy on metals and 25% on cars.

In his update, sent while he was traveling to Malaysia, Donald Trump appeared to state he was including an additional 10% to the existing tariffs.

Seventy-five percent of Canada's exported goods are sent to the United States, and the province is home to the largest share of Canada's car production.

Reagan Ad Details

The advertisement, which was funded by the Ontario government, references former US President Ronald Reagan, a GOP member and symbol of conservative values, stating duties "harm all Americans".

The advertisement takes excerpts from a 1987 radio speech that addressed global commerce.

The Foundation, which is tasked with preserving the ex-president's heritage, had condemned the advertisement for using "carefully chosen" sound and footage and claimed it falsified the former president's address. It additionally stated the Ontario authorities had not requested authorization to use it.

Continuing Conflicts

In his update on social media on Saturday, the President said that the advertisement should have been removed before.

"The Advertisement was to be taken down RIGHT AWAY, but they allowed it to air last night during the MLB finals, realizing that it was a FRAUD," he wrote, while flying to Southeast Asia.

Doug Ford had previously pledged to run the Reagan advert in each GOP-controlled district in the US.

Each of the President and the PM will be going to the Association of Southeast Asian Nation in the Malaysian nation, but Donald Trump advised reporters joining him aboard his aircraft that he does not have any "intention" of speaking with his Canadian PM during the visit.

In his post, Donald Trump further claimed the Canadian government of seeking to manipulate an upcoming Supreme Court legal case which could terminate his whole tariff regime.

The legal matter, to be considered by the highest US court soon, will rule on whether the tariffs are constitutional.

On Thursday, Trump also lashed out, claiming that the advertisement was intended to "meddle" with "a crucial lawsuit"

World Series Connection

The advertisement is not the only way that the region – location of the Toronto Blue Jays – is using the MLB finals as a stage to criticize the President's tariffs.

In a video shared on last Friday, the Premier and Gavin Newsom Newsom playfully agreed on stakes about which team would win the finals.

The two leaders repeatedly bantered about duties in the clip, with Ford vowing to deliver Gavin Newsom a container of maple syrup if the Dodgers triumph.

"The import tax might charge me a additional dollars at the frontier nowadays, but it'll be justified," he stated.

In reply, Governor Newsom requested Ford to resume permitting American alcohol to be sold in Ontario beverage outlets, and promised to provide "our premium grape drink" if the Toronto team win.

They ended their dialogue each stating: "Here's to a fantastic baseball championship, and a tariff-free relationship between Ontario and the state."