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Ford Demands Apology From U.S. Ambassador as Reagan Ad Fallout Stalls CanadaU.S. Trade Talks

The provincially funded spot using rearranged 1987 Reagan audio prompted President Trump to halt negotiations, with a further 10% tariff threatened.

Overview

  • Sources say U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra delivered an expletive-laden public rebuke of Ontario’s Washington representative, David Paterson, at an Ottawa business gala; the U.S. Embassy declined comment.
  • Premier Doug Ford called Hoekstra’s conduct “unbecoming” and urged him to apologize, while defending the ad’s objective and reach and confirming it was pulled after World Series airings.
  • Ford said Prime Minister Mark Carney saw the commercial before it ran, a point Ottawa has not confirmed publicly, as opposition leaders pressed the government for clarity on any prior review.
  • The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation said the ad misrepresents Reagan’s remarks and was used without permission, intensifying criticism of the campaign’s editing choices.
  • Negotiations on a sectoral deal covering steel, aluminum and energy that were reportedly near completion are now on hold, and Trump has said he will not meet Carney “for a while.”