Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has apologized to U.S. President Donald Trump for a controversial advertisement released by the Ontario government that included a quote from former President Ronald Reagan, creating diplomatic friction between the two nations, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to Reuters.
Carney stated that he personally conveyed his apologies to Trump during a dinner hosted by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on October 29. The Canadian leader also confirmed that he had reviewed the advertisement before it was released and had advised Ontario Premier Doug Ford against running it.
“I told Ford clearly that I did not want to proceed with the ad,” Carney said.
Earlier, Donald Trump acknowledged receiving Carney’s apology but stated that he does not intend to resume trade negotiations with Canada. This was reported by Bloomberg.
The controversy began when the Ontario government released an advertisement featuring a portion of a speech by the 40th U.S. president, Ronald Reagan. The quote was used in a critical context targeting the current U.S. administration’s trade policies.
Following the release of the ad, Trump announced a halt to trade talks with Canada. The Ronald Reagan Foundation also condemned the use of the clip, stating that the advertisement misrepresented Reagan’s speech and that Ontario had not obtained permission to use it.
In response, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared that the ad would stop airing as of October 27. Despite this, Trump remained firm in his decision.
In his October 26 post, Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on Canadian goods, stating: “Ronald Reagan supported tariffs for national security and economic purposes, but Canada misrepresented this! Their ad should have been removed immediately, yet they allowed it to air during the World Series, knowing it was misleading.”
Earlier we wrote that Hungary, Czech Republic, and Slovakia May Form Anti-Ukraine Alliance in the EU.
