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B.C. to unveil its own digital campaign directed at an American audience
Undaunted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s cancellation of trade talks with Canada in reaction to TV ads paid for by the Ontario Government, B.C. Premier David Eby says there are plans to develop more ads directed at an American audience.
On social media Thursday afternoon, Eby announced the province will unveil a digital campaign next month aimed at explaining who wins and who loses when it comes to the tariffs imposed on Canadian lumber entering the States.
“It’s important to speak directly to Americans looking to build homes or renovate,” he posted.
“Their costs are going up — because Donald Trump has slapped additional tariffs on top of already unfair softwood duties. We didn’t do it, so we shouldn’t wear it.”
He doesn’t say where these ads will be seen or heard or when they will be launched.
Trump announced Thursday night he was ending all trade talks with Canada based on an ad the Ontario government was running featuring former U.S. President Ronald Reagan warning about the economic threats posed by tariffs.
On Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said that after speaking with Prime Minister Mark Carney, he decided to pause the ad.
“Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses. We’ve achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels,” said Ford in the statement.
The ad will still air during the first two World Series games featuring the Toronto Blue Jays and the L.A. Dodgers, set for Friday and Saturday.
The Ford government spent $75 million on the ads, which began airing earlier this month on various news outlets in the United States, including Newsmax, Bloomberg, FOX, NBC, CBS, and CNBC. They were originally scheduled to run until the end of January 2026.
— With files from The Canadian Press, Meredith Bond, and John Marchesan.
