Bloomberg Businessweek Ontario to Pause Anti-Tariff Ad Campaign After Trump’s Ire
Oct 24, 2025
Laura Dhillon Kane, Ottawa Bureau Chief for Bloomberg News, discusses Ontario's controversial anti-tariff ad campaign and its impact on U.S.-Canada trade negotiations following Trump's criticism. Mike McKee analyzes inflation trends and the potential implications for the Fed amid a government shutdown. Amy Rubenstein, CEO of Clear Investment Group, shares insights into the distressed multifamily real estate market, highlighting opportunities amidst market challenges and the dynamics between sellers and lenders.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Ad Campaign Sparked Diplomatic Fallout
- Ontario ran a $75M CAD ad targeting U.S. viewers that quoted Reagan to criticize tariffs and drew President Trump's ire.
- Premier Doug Ford paused the campaign after Trump threatened to halt trade talks to allow negotiations to resume.
Visibility Can Backfire Strategically
- The ad's coverage produced a Streisand effect, greatly amplifying views after Trump's public complaint.
- That visibility forced Ontario to claim success even as it agreed to pause the ads to save trade talks.
Sector Tariffs Are The Core Dispute
- The immediate trade pain centers on sectoral tariffs for steel and aluminum, with autos and lumber unresolved.
- Negotiators had momentum toward a steel/aluminum deal tied to energy sales before the political flare-up.