A bitter dispute over 35% US tariffs on Canadian goods has culminated in president Donald Trump terminating all trade negotiations with Ottawa.
The president’s decision was triggered by an ad from the province of Ontario, which has been “particularly badly hit” by the levies. The ad used a 1987 clip of Ronald Reagan warning against tariffs.
Trump, who had raised the tariffs from 25% to 35% in august, called the ad “fake” and “fraudulent.” he accused Canada of “egregious behavior” in a post on truth social.
The ad has also been criticized by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation for using “selective audio” to “misrepresent” the full speech. The foundation is exploring legal action.
The halt in talks, confirmed by secretary of state Marco Rubio, freezes the c$3.6 billion daily trade relationship and leaves Canadian prime minister Mark Carney with few good options.