Premier David Eby gave no sign he will back off a planned anti-tariff ad campaign in the United States, despite President Donald Trump’s anger over a TV ad by the Ontario government.
Trump halted trade talks with Canada last week in response to the Ontario ad, which aired during a World Series game and featured anti-tariff comments made by former U.S. president Ronald Reagan.
Trump slammed the ad on social media, calling it a “hostile act,” and threatened to increase tariffs on Canada by another 10 per cent.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford pulled the ads on Monday, even as he defended the campaign as “very effective.”
Eby said Monday he supported Ontario’s ads. “It is absolutely essential that we talk to Americans about the implications of tariffs,” said Eby.
He said the U.S. treatment of Canada is “unfair and absurd,” particularly around softwood lumber. He reiterated his concerns that Russia is currently able to sell softwood to the U.S. at a lower tariff rate than Canada.
“We can’t control the man in the White House, all we can do is control our own destiny,” said Eby.
A spokesperson with the Premier’s Office confirms the anti-tariff campaign is set to begin sometime in November. It’s expected to include digital ads like website banners — not a video or TV ad like Ontario’s campaign.
Eby also announced B.C. will open a new forest trade office in England, as part of efforts to expand its market share in the U.K. and Europe.
The province said the new London office of B.C.’s Crown corporation, Forestry Innovation Investment (FII), will eventually also target markets in the Middle East and northern Africa.
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