Carney asked Ford ‘a couple of times’ to pull anti-tariff ad, premier says

By Canadian Press on November 3, 2025.

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says Prime Minister Mark Carney called him “a couple of times” from Asia to ask him to pull an ad campaign that’s being blamed for ending trade talks with the United States.

Carney said this weekend that he told Ford he didn’t think the province should run the ad that featured clips of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.

Ford says he has a “different recollection” of their conversation.

Trump cut off trade talks late last week, citing the TV spots.

Ford says he and the prime minister have a great relationship and the two texted earlier today, but he says that after Carney called him from Asia — where he was on an official visit — to pull the ad, Ford kept it running for a few more days during World Series games.

Trump has threatened to add another 10 per cent tariff on Canadian goods over that.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2025.

Allison Jones and Liam Casey, The Canadian Press