The issue of whether the prime minister and his chief of staff were aware of and supported an anti-tariff advertisement from the Ontario government, which provoked U.S. President Donald Trump, continued to be a topic during Mark Carney’s visit to Singapore on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to provide any additional comments on the television commercial that led to the breakdown of trade discussions with the United States last week.
A senior federal official, speaking anonymously, reiterated that the responsibility for the ad campaign lies with the government of Ontario despite the prime minister’s statement that Ottawa is leading the negotiations.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford maintained that both the prime minister and his senior advisors had reviewed the ad before its release, emphasizing that the goal of the ad was to raise awareness among Americans about the impact of tariffs.
During the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, Carney was asked if Trump’s decision to cancel trade talks was solely due to the ad or other factors. Carney advised taking Trump’s word for his actions and emphasized that the Canadian government is overseeing negotiations with the U.S.
Trump blamed Carney for the situation, stating that everyone, including the prime minister, was aware of the ad. He accused Canada of meddling in U.S. legal matters and threatened to increase tariffs on Canadian imports by an additional 10 percent.
While it remains unclear who apologized to Trump, Carney mentioned that he had not directly communicated with the president since the trade talks collapsed. Carney’s schedule in Singapore included a visit to the Port of Singapore and a meeting with the CEO of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation.
The prime minister’s visit to Singapore was focused on discussions related to trade and investments, showcasing the importance of international relations in the global economy.