Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has apologised to US President Donald Trump over an anti-tariff political advertisement commissioned by Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The ad featured a clip of former US president Ronald Reagan warning that tariffs lead to economic disaster and trade wars.
Carney said he expressed regret privately to Trump during a dinner hosted by South Korea’s president earlier this week. “I did apologise to the president,” Carney told reporters, confirming Trump’s earlier remarks.
The prime minister stated he had reviewed the ad before it aired and opposed its release. “I told Ford I did not want to go forward with the ad,” he said. Following the ad’s broadcast, Trump increased tariffs on Canadian goods and suspended trade talks with Ottawa.
Carney, who attended an Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea, said his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping marked a positive step in rebuilding strained ties between the two nations. He added that Canada is accelerating efforts to diversify its trade and reduce reliance on the United States.
