Now you’ve done it, Canada
Canada just completed the “FA” part of an age-old equation, and now they are about to “FO.”
For context, President Trump is shutting down trade negotiations with Canada after the country used an old Ronald Reagan soundbite in an anti-tariff commercial attacking Trump.
There are a couple of problems with the ad, though.
For starters, Canada never cleared using the clip with the Reagan Foundation, which on its own is a problem.
In addition to this, though, it looks like the clip they used of Reagan was selectively edited, cutting off a large section where the former Republican president talks about free trade having to be “fair trade” and using tariffs strategically (namely with Japan) as a way to make sure there weren’t any “unfair practices against American products.”
In his speech from 1987, Reagan noted that while he wasn’t a fan of using tariffs for political purposes, he saw the strategic advantage they played in policing fair trade practices with other countries.
This is obviously a far cry from what the ad conveyed, and you can watch the whole speech for yourself below, which the Reagan Foundation has graciously linked to their X post, in addition to blasting the Canadian government for their duplicitous tactics.
Free trade is obviously the ultimate goal, but with countries like China taking advantage of America for decades through lopsided trade deals, it’s refreshing to see someone like Trump fighting back against a country trying to position itself as “the next great superpower.”
This is something I’m sure Reagan – a man who had to combat the Soviet Union at the height of their powers – would have in common with Trump.
As for Canada, they might have poked the hornet’s nest one too many times.
It doesn’t sound like tensions will thaw anytime soon, but with how disproportionately Canada’s GDP is tied to trade with the U.S. versus the other way around, I’m sure the frozen tundra of Canada will be feeling the heat far before America will.
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