Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called off ongoing trade talks with Canada, citing objections to a recent Ontario government ad campaign that he described as “misleading and politically motivated.”
The campaign, which promotes Ontario’s economic independence and resilience, reportedly featured messages that Trump’s team interpreted as critical of U.S. trade practices.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, the suspension of talks came just days before negotiators were expected to meet in Washington to discuss key issues related to tariffs and cross-border manufacturing.
Canadian officials have not issued an official response but emphasized that Ontario’s advertising is unrelated to federal trade policy.
Analysts say the move could temporarily stall progress on trade cooperation between the two countries, which had shown signs of improvement in recent months. However, both sides are expected to resume talks once tensions ease.