The Ontario anti-tariff commercial that derailed negotiations between Canada and the United States was produced by an external ad agency with ties to the Ontario Progressive Conservative party.
The Ontario commercial, which features former Republican president Ronald Reagan’s views on tariffs and protectionism, created an international stir when President Donald Trump terminated trade negotiations with Canada and applied a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian exports to the United States.
Prime Minister Mark Carney suggested the commercial was also the sole reason for the “unexpected twists and turns” in the talks, and emphasized that while he’s open to “unsolicited advice” on those discussions, the negotiations are the “responsibility of the government of Canada.”
“There were a series of very detailed, very specific, very comprehensive discussions, negotiations … up until the point of those ads running,” Carney said during an international summit in Asia. “I would suggest you take the president at his word.”
On Monday, Ford called the commercial “the most successful ad in the history of North America” owing to the intense conversation and reaction triggered by the television spot.
While the commercial was pulled from the American airwaves after airing twice during the World Series, questions linger over how much Ontario taxpayers ultimately paid for the commercial and the production costs associated.
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The commercial, which was shared by the premier’s office, was produced by Creative Currency – an external ad agency with financial ties to the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.
In 2022, the agency was credited for creating the Ontario PC Party’s “Get it Done” slogan and was paid $168,406 for the work.
In 2025, the agency played a much larger role, according to Elections Ontario officials, including advertising, research and polling, and other technical-related expenses — in total, the firm received $1.7 million from the Ontario Progressive Conservative party.
Neither the premier’s office nor Creative Currency responded to Global News’s questions on how much the commercial cost to produce or whether there was an open tendering process to produce it.
Government spending records, however, show the Progressive Conservatives have leaned on Creative Currency since 2022 for advertising strategy and commercials.
Between 2022 and 2025, the cabinet office paid the ad firm $872,643 for government-related advertising, while Progressive Conservative Caucus Services paid the firm another $1.3 million for work performed for PC MPPs.
Both tabs are ultimately paid for by Ontario taxpayers.
While the premier’s office said “the cost of the ad is around $75 million,” Ford told the Ontario legislature the total wouldn’t be that high because of Ontario’s decision to pull the commercial.
Ford also said the organic media discussions about the commercial represent “about three to four hundred million” dollars in free advertising, and claimed that the commercial was talked about in India, Portugal, Italy, Scotland and the U.K.
“Every outlet, small, large, medium in the U.S. was talking about the conversation about (how) it’s better to get rid of any of the tariffs,” Ford said.
Ford also claimed that his provincial counterparts continue to back his efforts against Trump.
“I spoke to every single premier, they’re on-side,” the premier claimed in the Ontario legislature. “Their exact words is don’t stop, keep fighting for Canada.”
While Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew urged Ford to keep running the commercials, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she was “pleased” to see Ontario’s removal of the commercials.
“I am pleased to see Ontario’s ad campaign is being suspended and I once again urge the federal government to continue negotiating to resolve these tariff issues and restore a free and fair trade agreement with the United States,” Smith said on social media.
Critics of the Ford government, however, suggested the premier’s actions ultimately did more harm than good, all because Ford wants to continue to be “Captain Canada.”
“Good job, premier,” Liberal parliamentary leader John Fraser said. “Ontarians are paying with their jobs for what you just did.”
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