The topic of whether the prime minister and his chief of staff were aware of and endorsed an Ontario government ad that triggered U.S. President Donald Trump followed Mark Carney to Singapore on Tuesday. The Prime Minister’s Office declined to provide further details on the TV commercial, which caused disruptions in trade talks with the United States last week.
A senior federal official, speaking anonymously, continued to attribute the ad campaign to the Ontario government led by Premier Doug Ford, despite the prime minister’s statement that Ottawa is leading the negotiations. The official clarified that the decision and execution of the ad were solely the responsibility of the Ontario government, with no involvement from the federal government.
Ford defended the ad during a statement on Monday, stating that both the prime minister and his senior advisers had reviewed it before its release. According to Ford, the ad successfully achieved its goal of raising awareness among Americans about the impacts of tariffs.
In response to questions about Trump’s decision to cancel trade talks due to the ad, Carney urged taking the president’s reasons at face value. Carney emphasized that the Canadian federal government is responsible for trade negotiations with the U.S. and welcomed input from all stakeholders.
Trump, on the other hand, shifted blame to Carney and Canada, asserting that everyone, including the prime minister, was aware of the ad. Additionally, Trump accused Canada of interfering in U.S. legal matters and threatened to increase tariffs on Canadian imports by 10%, though no specific date was provided.
During his visit to Singapore, Carney did not address the media, spending the day touring the Port of Singapore and meeting with the CEO of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation.