Doug Ford spent $75M of Ontario tax dollars on ad and people are angry

The Ontario government has released a new commercial targeting U.S. audiences amid sustained economic pressure, but some locals are less than pleased by the latest trade war salvo from Premier Doug Ford and co. 

The one-minute advertisement released by the province uses a 1987 anti-tariff speech from the late former U.S. President Ronald Reagan in an attempt to win over citizens and lawmakers south of the border. 

As a figure who shaped modern U.S. conservatism, Reagan's words have the potential to break through to the Republican base largely supporting President Donald Trump's harsh economic policies towards Canada.

Ontario's government hopes that distribution on major U.S. networks will help reshape public opinion in the United States. 

However, the advertisement's enormous $75 million cost, and the idea of paying U.S. networks to air the ad have proven less palatable for Ontario residents.

It’s official: Ontario’s new advertising campaign in the U.S. has launched.

Using every tool we have, we’ll never stop making the case against American tariffs on Canada. The way to prosperity is by working together.

Watch our new ad. pic.twitter.com/SgIVC1cqMJ

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) October 16, 2025

Whether Ford's bid to win over the U.S. public proves effective remains to be seen.

Regardless of the outcome in the States, the advertisement appears to be having an opposite effect north of the border, where the very "taxpayers" that the premier promised to protect during election campaigns are less than pleased over this expenditure.

Buy Canadian

*Spend 75 mil USD on American networks*

— Tierneymisu (@the_ref14) October 16, 2025

Commenters pointed out the irony of Ford handing money to U.S. media to air a commercial about protecting Ontario's economy from stateside tariffs.

Wait a minute , so you just gave the Americans more money ? 😂

— VANS🇨🇦 (@cvan2023) October 16, 2025

Comment after comment decried the video as a "waste of money." 

Money wasters

— Thrifty (@GTsonef) October 16, 2025

Others took shots at how much the advertisement likely cost to produce.

Talk is cheap, but this video production was probably pricey 🤔

— Person Guy (@JoeWillowick) October 16, 2025

Only time will tell if Doug Ford's $75 million reference to Reagan-era conservatism actually has any impact on attitudes south of the border, but it's certainly made a splash back here at home.