U.S. President Donald Trump announced an additional 10 per cent tariff on Canadian imports on Sunday, citing the continued broadcast of a controversial anti-tariff advertisement in the U.S. that features former President Ronald Reagan. The move comes just two days after the U.S. President abruptly terminated all ongoing trade negotiations with Canada.
The President, who is aboard Air Force One for a trip to Asia, announced the increase in a post on Truth Social, stating the additional 10 per cent is “over and above what they are paying now.” Many Canadian products are already subject to a 35 per cent tariff, with steel and aluminum facing a 50 per cent levy under previous actions by the Trump administration. The new increase is not yet clarified by sector.
The Reagan Ad Controversy
The new tariff escalation centers on an advertisement paid for by the government of the Canadian province of Ontario. The commercial uses excerpts from a 1987 radio address by President Reagan, where he warns that high tariffs can trigger trade wars and economic hardship. The ad, reportedly costing $75 million for its U.S. run, was broadcast during the Major League Baseball World Series on Friday night.
President Trump condemned the ad as “fraudulent” and a “serious misrepresentation of the facts,” asserting that “Ronald Reagan LOVED Tariffs for purposes of National Security and the Economy.”
In a separate post on X, the President claimed the advertisement was a calculated attempt to influence the U.S. Supreme Court, which is set to hear a case regarding the legality of many of his tariffs. “The sole purpose of this FRAUD was Canada’s hope that the United States Supreme Court will come to their ‘rescue’ on Tariffs,” Trump wrote.
The controversy was compounded by the ad running during the World Series, despite Ontario Premier Doug Ford indicating on Friday that the ad campaign would be paused starting Monday to facilitate the resumption of trade talks.
Trade Tensions at a Boiling Point
The tariff hike marks the latest souring of relations between the two neighboring nations. Just weeks ago, President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held discussions at the Oval Office on October 7th, where the President described trade talks as “complicated.”
However, President Trump refused to meet with Prime Minister Carney just before departing for his Asia trip on Saturday, despite both leaders being scheduled to be in the region. Prime Minister Carney is in Asia to attend the ASEAN summit and deepen Canada’s trade ties in the Indo-Pacific region, a strategy aimed at reducing its economic reliance on the United States.
While the U.S. President has ended trade talks, the Canadian government, through officials like Minister in charge of U.S.-Canada trade Dominic LeBlanc, has maintained that they remain “focused on achieving results” and are ready to resume talks when Washington is prepared.