‘We’ll talk when Washington’s ready’: Mark Carney as Trump halts Canada-US trade talks

His comments came a day after US President Donald Trump announced that he was ending all trade talks with Canada, following the release of an Ontario government advertisement featuring former Republican president Ronald Reagan criticising tariffs.

Trump, in a series of Truth Social posts, accused Canada of using the advertisement “fraudulently” and called it “FAKE,” alleging it was an attempt to interfere with the US Supreme Court’s upcoming hearings on the legality of his global tariffs. “Based on their egregious behavior, all trade negotiations with Canada are hereby terminated,” Trump wrote, adding later on Friday that “Canada cheated and got caught.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Friday that Washington had officially suspended all trade talks with Ottawa. The hearings Trump referred to, set to begin on 5 November, will review the legality of his sweeping tariff measures.

The trade rift has been escalating for months. Washington first imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian steel, aluminium, timber, and cars earlier this year, prompting retaliatory measures from Ottawa. In August, Trump raised the rate to 35 per cent. Despite a meeting between Carney and Trump earlier this month aimed at easing tensions and reviewing the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), relations appear to have deteriorated further.

Ontario, which relies heavily on manufacturing exports to the US, has been hit particularly hard by the tariffs. The province’s premier, Doug Ford, has emerged as one of the strongest critics of the US measures.

Ford launched the Reagan-themed advertisement earlier in October as part of a campaign opposing American tariffs. In a post on Instagram, he said: “Using every tool we have, we’ll never stop making the case against American tariffs on Canada. The way to prosperity is by working together.”

On Friday, Ford re-shared the advertisement on social media, doubling down despite Trump’s backlash. “Canada and the United States are friends, neighbours and allies. President Ronald Reagan knew that we are stronger together,” Ford wrote, referencing Reagan’s original remarks that “trade barriers hurt every American worker” — a line prominently featured in the ad.