WASHINGTON, 26 October (H.S.): US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he is imposing an additional 10% tariff on Canadian goods, escalating a trade dispute over a Canadian anti-tariff advertisement that featured the late US President Ronald Reagan.The move comes just two days after President Trump terminated trade talks with Canada, calling the ad campaign a fraud.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump described the ad’s airing as a hostile act and a serious misrepresentation of the facts, prompting the new tariffs. He made the announcement while en route to Asia for a series of diplomatic meetings.

The contentious advertisement, produced by the Canadian province of Ontario, used a 1987 radio address quote from President Reagan in which he warned against the dangers of protectionism and trade wars. While the Ronald Reagan foundation objected to the selective use of the audio, the Ontario government had agreed to pull the ad on Monday in an effort to restart negotiations.

The new tariff adds to existing US duties on Canadian steel, aluminum, and autos that have strained the Canadian economy. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently stated that US tariffs have reached levels last seen during the Great Depression. Both leaders are scheduled to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea this week, but the White House has stated there are no plans for a meeting between them.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar