Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has formally apologised to US President Donald Trump for an anti-tariff political advertisement aired in Ontario that reignited trade tensions between the two nations.
The ad, which featured a clip of former US President Ronald Reagan warning that tariffs could trigger trade wars and economic damage, prompted Trump to raise tariffs on Canadian goods and suspend bilateral trade talks.
Carney confirmed to reporters after an Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea that he personally apologized to Trump during a dinner hosted by South Korea’s president. “I did apologize to the president,” he said, echoing Trump’s own remarks.
Carney added that he had reviewed the ad before it aired and had advised Ontario Premier Doug Ford against releasing it. Despite his objections, the Ontario government proceeded with the advertisement, which was seen in Washington as a political jab at Trump’s protectionist policies.
In response to the ad, Trump announced a 10% increase in tariffs on Canadian imports and said trade discussions with Ottawa would remain suspended. “I like him a lot but what they did was wrong,” Trump told reporters. “He apologized for what they did with the commercial because it was a false commercial.”
Carney’s Asia trip also focused on strengthening Canada’s economic relationships beyond the United States. During the visit, he met Chinese President Xi Jinping in what he called a turning point in Canada-China relations, discussing issues including foreign interference following allegations of election meddling. This marked the first formal interaction between the two leaders since 2017.
The outreach signals Carney’s efforts to diversify trade and rebalance Canada’s foreign relations amid friction with its most important economic partner, the United States.
While Carney seeks to repair ties and expand global economic connections, Washington has made clear that trade talks with Canada will not resume until it is satisfied with Ottawa’s position.
