Journalism of Courage
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he is increasing tariffs on import of Canadian goods by an additional 10% “above what they’re paying now,” due to an anti-tariff television ad being played by the province of Ontario which featured former President Ronald Reagan.
The ad used the words of ex-President Reagan to criticise the tariffs being imposed by the federal government, which angered Trump who had earlier said his administration would end trade talks with Canada. The ad ran on Friday night during the first game of the World Series, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he would pull the ad over the weekend, AP reported.
Trump announced the higher tariffs in a post on Truth Social, while referencing the ad featuring a video of ex-President Reagan, a Republican icon, saying that tariffs cause trade wars and economic disasters. The ad had been running for some days before the US president reacted to it for the first time on Thursday night.
As Trump flew aboard the Air Force One for his trip to Malaysia, he wrote on Truth Social, “Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD. Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now.”
After the controversy over the ad, Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday said that he would hold a discussion with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and the province would pause the US ad campaign by Monday so that trade talks between the two countries continue, Reuters reported.
The United States has already imposed a 35% levy on all Canadian goods, however, most of the goods are exempted under the Free Trade Agreement. A sector specific levy has also been imposed on Canada by the Trump administration, including a 50% levy on metals and 25% on automobiles.
(with inputs from agencies)
