Ontario’s premier didn’t apologize for airing an anti-tariffs ad that angered President Donald Trump – but Canada’s prime minister did. Now, Canadians are using social media to process the awkward situation.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on saturday that he had privately apologized to Trump on Wednesday over an Ontario-produced ad featuring remarks from the late President Ronald Reagan who discussed tariffs in a 1987 speech.
The ad, which was posted online and aired during early games of the World Series matchup between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers, angered Trump and led him to call off US trade talks with Canada.
“I did apologize to the president,” Carney told reporters on Saturday,adding that Trump was “offended” by the ad. “It’s not something I would have done, which is to put in place that advertisement, and so I apologized to him.”
“I’m the one who’s responsible, in my role as prime minister, for the relationship with the president of the United States,” carney added. “And the federal government is responsible for the foreig
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Canadians React to PM Carney’s Apology for Anti-Trump Ad
Prime Minister Carney’s apology for a political advertisement critical of Donald Trump has sparked a wave of reactions across Canadian social media platforms. While some view the apology as a necessary step for diplomatic relations and ongoing trade negotiations, others express disappointment and frustration, questioning why Canada felt the need to apologize for a truthful ad.
The ad, which highlighted Trump’s past comments and policies unfavorable to Canada, drew criticism from the former president and prompted the apology. The phrase “elbows up,” previously embraced by Carney during his election campaign, became a point of contention, with some online critics suggesting ther was a time and a place for going “elbows up.” Still,”elbows down” was a popular comment online among critics of carney’s apology.
Many canadians believe the apology was a strategic move to revive trade talks. “This is really tough for me as a Canadian. I don’t think PM Carney should have apologized for an ad that was truthful,” one X user from Prince Edward Island wrote, adding, “It wasn’t a false commercial and Reagan didn’t love tariffs.”
The news generated critically important discussion on Reddit,with a post on the r/Canada forum garnering over 1,200 comments within eight hours. One Reddit user expressed dismay, stating, “As a Canadian, I’m ashamed of carney. His mantra during the election was ‘elbows up’. We elected him believing he’s a fighter. Why should we apologize for an ad that was 100% true?” Another user on the r/facepalm subreddit labeled the situation “humiliating.”
However, not all reactions were negative. Some acknowledged the potential downsides of running the ad during trade talks.”This is going to be unpopular but maybe the ad was not a great idea while trade talks were going,” one reddit user from Ontario commented,emphasizing the importance of minimizing damage and expanding trade options.
Several Canadians suggested that, despite being unpalatable, the apology could be a pragmatic decision. “By apologizing he improved relations without giving up a single thing,” one Reddit user wrote.”Distasteful as it is, it’s in Canada’s best interest for the PM to be on good terms with Trump.”
The apology comes amidst ongoing tensions, including Trump’s recent tariffs on Canada and his past remarks about potentially making Canada america’s 51st state, leaving many Canadians concerned about the future of the Canada-U.S. relationship.