Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has issued an apology to U.S. President Donald Trump regarding a controversial television advertisement that aired in the United States. This marks Carney’s second major concession to Trump in recent weeks. During a press briefing on Saturday in Gyeongju, South Korea, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit was taking place, Carney confirmed, “I did apologize to the president.”
The contentious ad, produced by the provincial government of Ontario, featured an audio clip of former President Ronald Reagan outlining his opposition to tariffs. The ad aired during Major League Baseball games, prompting Trump to halt trade discussions with Canada and impose a new 10 percent tariff on Canadian goods after it was broadcast multiple times during the World Series.
Carney expressed regret over the ad during a dinner with world leaders at the APEC summit, where observers noted a “visible demonstration of the frost” between him and Trump. Despite the tensions, Trump later commented on their relationship, stating, “I like him a lot, but what they did was wrong. He was very nice. He apologized for what they did with the commercial.”
This apology follows a previous significant retreat by Carney in June, when he abandoned a proposed 3 percent tax on large U.S. tech companies, including Google and Amazon, after facing threats from Trump regarding potential tariffs. The opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party, has sought to capitalize on Carney’s challenges in negotiating a trade deal with the U.S.
Poilievre questioned Carney’s negotiation promises made during his election campaign, stating, “Mr. Carney promised a good deal by July 21. He promised he could negotiate a win with President Trump. Those were his promises. … So why did he promise it?” He also contended that Carney had initially approved the controversial ad before later claiming it jeopardized trade discussions.
Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has remained unapologetic about the ad. He reiterated his commitment to defending Ontario workers, who have been adversely affected by U.S. tariffs on various goods. In a letter to the Wall Street Journal, Ford explained, “Our government ran an ad featuring the words of President Reagan because we can benefit from being reminded of his wisdom.”
The advertisement drew criticism for its portrayal of Reagan’s views, which some argued distorted his stance on trade. Canadian fact-checkers concluded that while the ad quoted Reagan accurately, it provided an incomplete representation of his trade philosophy. Trump labeled the ad as “fake,” asserting it was intended to influence a Supreme Court decision regarding the legality of his tariffs. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute also condemned the ad for misrepresenting the former president’s beliefs.
Despite the fallout, Ford expressed satisfaction with the ad’s impact, stating, “We achieved our goal. As we say, ‘mission accomplished.’ They’re talking about it in the U.S., and they weren’t talking about it before I put the ad on.”
As the political landscape in Canada continues to shift, many citizens remain focused on the Toronto Blue Jays, who are making their first World Series appearance since 1993, marking a pivotal moment in Canadian sports history.
