Canadian negotiators "stand ready" for the Americans to resume trade negotiations, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly ended those talks late Thursday night.
Trump lashed out over an ad campaign fielded by the Ontario provincial government that features footage of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan saying tariffs damage economies.
Standing on the tarmac outside Ottawa's airport Friday morning, Carney said Canada can't control a U.S. trade policy that has "fundamentally changed."
"Our officials, my colleagues, have been working with their American colleagues on detailed, constructive negotiations, discussions on specific transactions, specific sectors — steel, aluminum and energy — and a lot of progress has been made," Carney said in a brief statement before boarding a government jet.
"We stand ready to pick up on that progress and build on that progress when the Americans are ready to have those discussions."
Carney spoke just before jetting off to Asia to attend several international summits that Trump is also expected to attend.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said in a message posted to social media that "it's clear" Ontario's ads are working.
"If you throw a rock at a lake and you don't hear a splash, you probably missed. So, to my good friend (Ontario Premier) Doug Ford, keep the ads on TV. They're effective and this country is behind you," Kinew said.
On her way into Parliament Friday, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May chanted, "Go Doug Ford!" and called Trump a "thin-skinned" leader. She said Trump clearly doesn't understand how Canadian federalism works - that Ontario bought the ads, not the federal government.
The Conservatives made the collapse of talks the focus of question period in the House of Commons on Friday. They accused Carney of failing on the trade file after presenting himself in the spring election campaign as the best choice to resolve the trade war.
Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs told reporters on her way into question period that "Carney promised he'd be the guy to get a deal done" and Canadians should "hold him to account for that failure."
But Rob Oliphant, parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, said "negotiations will happen again. They always do."
"There are always speed bumps along the way," Oliphant said. "We have to keep going and make sure that we have a conversation that continues."
NDP MP Gord Johns said it's time for Ottawa to strike back at the U.S., now that talks have broken down.
"We have things that they need, critical minerals, potash, oil and gas - resources that they rely on," he said. "Obviously, Canadian wood is important to their home builders, so we've got a lot of leverage and it's time for us to use it."
Trump's economic adviser Kevin Hassett, director of the U.S. National Economic Council, told reporters outside the White House Friday that Trump's “frustration" with Canada has "built up over time” and the Canadians have been “very difficult to negotiate with.”
Hassett said that's due to a "lack of flexibility" and "leftover behaviours from the (Justin) Trudeau folks." He refused to comment on the ads and said he is not directly engaged in trade talks.
Carney met with Trump at the White House just a few weeks ago, and Canadian officials had signalled they were making progress on sector-specific deals.
Trump doubled down on his criticisms Friday, accusing Canada of trying to influence an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling on his global tariff regime.
America's top court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in November on the legality of Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act — IEEPA — to hit most of the world with devastating duties.
Trump posted Friday that "CANADA CHEATED AND GOT CAUGHT" for saying Reagan did not like tariffs, which Trump also claimed the late president "LOVED."
Reagan was a staunch advocate of free trade. He negotiated the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement that changed the structure of the North American economy and removed many trade barriers, including tariffs.
The Ontario government paid about $75 million for the ads, which use audio and video of Reagan speaking about tariffs in 1987 and have aired across multiple American television stations.
Premier Ford responded to Trump's criticisms by posting on social media Friday morning that Reagan knew Canada and the U.S. are "stronger together."
Ford also linked to a video of Reagan's full remarks.
"High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars," Reagan said in the 1987 radio address that was used in the Ontario ads.
"Then the worst happens. Markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industries shut down, and millions of people lose their jobs."
On Thursday, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute posted on social media that the ads misrepresent the president's address and Ontario did not seek or receive permission to "use and edit the remarks."
In a statement in response to the Reagan Foundation, Ford's office said the commercial uses an unedited excerpt from one of Reagan's speeches now in public domain.
Ford's office said the premier would not be available to answer questions Friday and his government cancelled two planned press conferences by the housing and environment ministers.
When the ads were launched, Ford said he intended to blast Reagan's anti-tariff message across America.
"We're going to repeat that message to every Republican district there is right across the entire country," Ford said on Oct. 15.
Trump said earlier this week he saw the ad on television and claimed it showed that his tariffs were having an impact.
“I saw an ad last night from Canada. If I was Canada, I’d take that same ad also,” he said at the time.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
