OTTAWA, 25 October (H.S.): In a sudden escalation of trade tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump has unilaterally terminated all trade negotiations with Canada, a move he announced late Thursday. The decision was reportedly triggered by an advertisement from Ontario’s provincial government that the President deemed fake.
Despite the impasse, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney affirmed on Friday that his government is prepared to resume constructive discussions whenever the United States is ready.The diplomatic fissure occurred after an anti-tariff advertisement, produced by the Ontario government, featured archival footage of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.
President Trump reacted strongly on his Truth Social platform, writing, Based on their egregious behaviour, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED. He also accused Canada of attempting to interfere with a U.S. Supreme Court review of his tariff measures.
In response to the President’s ultimatum, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced he would pause the advertisement to facilitate the resumption of trade talks.
Speaking before his departure for the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, Prime Minister Carney emphasized Canada’s readiness to build on the significant progress made in recent negotiations, particularly concerning key sectors such as steel, aluminum, and energy. We can’t control the trade policy of the United States, Carney stated, acknowledging the fundamental shift in American policy.
We stand ready to pick up on that progress and build on that progress when the Americans are ready to have those discussions.
From the White House, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told Fox News on Friday that the President’s action reflects a deep-seated frustration with Canadian negotiators, whom he described as very difficult to negotiate with.
This latest dispute injects fresh uncertainty into one of the world’s most significant bilateral trading relationships, which has already been strained by President Trump’s imposition of a 35% tariff on certain Canadian exports.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
