Watch the ad aired in Canada that led Trump to cancel trade talks

Trade tensions between the United States and Canada have escalated after the Ontario government released an ad in which former President Ronald Reagan spoke about the dangers of tariffs.

The one-minute video, released by Ontario Premier Doug Ford on X on October 16, uses excerpts from Reagan’s 1987 “Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade.”

The ad highlights Reagan’s warning that while tariffs may seem “patriotic” to protect American jobs, they end up “harming all American workers and consumers” and “inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the outbreak of fierce trade wars” — ending with “the worst,” he said, with the collapse of markets, the closure of industries and millions of jobs lost.

Watch Reagan’s full, unedited remarks — which the foundation says were selectively edited — below:

Reagan made the remarks while defending limited tariffs imposed on Japan in response to unfair trade practices in the semiconductor industry, but he warned that broader protectionism could spark trade wars and hurt the global economy.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute said Ontario “distorted” Reagan’s remarks and used them without authorization.

“The ad misrepresents the presidential radio address, and the Ontario government has not requested or received permission to use and edit the remarks,” the foundation said in a statement Thursday, adding that it was reviewing its legal options.

Trump quickly seized on the issue, accusing Canada of producing a “FALSE” ad and announcing Friday on Truth Social that he was ending all trade negotiations with the country.

“Tariffs are very important to the national security and economy of the United States,” Trump wrote. “All trade negotiations with Canada end.”

A spokesperson for Ontario Premier Doug Ford defended the ad, telling CBC News it used an “unedited excerpt” from one of Reagan’s speeches that is “available in the public domain.”

The spokesperson added that Reagan “told Americans directly that tariffs were hurting America’s economy, workers and families” and that he was “a strong supporter of free and fair trade between Canada and America.”