The issue of whether the prime minister and his chief of staff were aware of and endorsed an Ontario government anti-tariff advertisement that triggered U.S. President Donald Trump’s reaction accompanied Mark Carney during his visit to Singapore on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to provide further comments on the TV ad, which recently caused disruptions in trade negotiations with the United States. A senior federal official, speaking anonymously, continued to attribute the advertising campaign to the Ontario government, despite the prime minister’s assertion that Ottawa leads the negotiations.
According to the official, the decision to run the ad was solely made by the Ontario government, and the federal government had no involvement in its creation or distribution.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford defended the decision, stating that both the prime minister and his top advisors had reviewed the ad before its release. Ford emphasized that the ad successfully achieved its goal of raising awareness among Americans about the impact of tariffs.
During the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, Mark Carney was asked about Trump’s decision to cancel trade talks due to the ad. Carney responded by suggesting that Trump’s stated reasons should be taken at face value. Carney reiterated that the Canadian government holds the responsibility for conducting negotiations with the U.S.
In response to Trump’s accusations, Carney clarified that the ad was not intended to interfere with U.S. legal proceedings but rather to raise awareness about tariffs. Trump announced plans to increase tariffs on Canadian imports by 10%, citing the ad campaign’s timing in relation to an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case on tariff powers.
Carney mentioned that he had not communicated with Trump since the trade talks breakdown but left the possibility open for future discussions. Carney’s schedule for the day included a visit to the Port of Singapore and a meeting with the CEO of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, a sovereign wealth fund managing over $1.1 trillion US in assets worldwide.
