WATCH: Ford says Carney was present in the room when reviewing Reagan ad

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has revealed that Prime Minister Mark Carney was present in the room when reviewing the controversial Reagan ad that led U.S. President Donald Trump to cancel trade talks.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has revealed that Prime Minister Mark Carney was present in the room when reviewing the controversial Reagan ad that led U.S. President Donald Trump to cancel trade talks with Canada

Additionally, Ford has demanded an apology from the U.S. ambassador after an expletive tirade as trade talks between the two countries ground to a halt.

While announcing the start of infrastructure development for Ontario’s Ring of Fire, aimed at mining and refining natural minerals, and a partnership with the local Webequie First Nation, Ford called on U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra to apologize for dressing down Ontario’s delegate and criticized Trump further.

Source: Facebook (Doug Ford)

On Monday, Ford revealed that Carney and his top staff reviewed the ad before it was aired. When asked how he knew that the prime minister reviewed the ad on Wednesday, Ford noted that the two were physically in the room with him, but wouldn’t reveal what Carney’s response to the ad was.

“I was with him. Everyone’s obsessed. Just think of that 11.4 billion impressions or views, like that means every leader in the world saw it. And you know, it’s just real. It’s a real ad. It was the most successful ad ever,” Ford said. “I don’t know any ad that’s ever hit 11.4 billion in every single country in the world; their leadership and population were watching it because it’s real. Ronald Reagan is telling the truth.”

Ford said he could run 10 “more different ads” of Reagan promoting free trade and condemning tariffs, but that he wouldn’t.

“Well, you see it down in the US now. They’re losing manufacturing jobs for five months in a row, down 78,000. Inflation is hitting it doesn’t work, so let’s sign a deal and a fair deal, and we’ll move forward, and everyone’s going to be happy,” he continued.

During the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada’s annual general meeting, Hoekstra reportedly gave an expletive-laden “dressing down” to Ontario’s delegate, David Paterson, over the “Reagan ad.” Trump has cited this ad as the reason for trade talks breaking down and new 10 per cent tariffs on Canada.

Hoekstra lamented that the U.S. and Canada were close to a trade deal, but the ad threw a wrench into negotiations.

When asked about the incident, Ford called on Hoekstra to apologize to Paterson, saying his tirade was “Absolutely unacceptable.”

“The cheese slipped off the cracker. I get it. You’re ticked off. But call the guy up because you’re a good guy, and Dave’s my champion. The guy is just instrumental in these trade deals down in Washington,” Ford said. “Just call the guy up. Bury the hatchet, because the ambassador is a good guy. Actually, I love Dave. I like the ambassador, so he knows what to do.”

Ford defended his Reagan ad, which featured an edited voice-over of Reagan warning about tariffs and promoting free trade, saying anyone would do the same if “someone” was constantly attacking their province, country and industries.

“What do they expect me to do? Sit back and roll over like every other person in the world. I’m going to fight like I’ve never fought before,” Ford said. “I said during the election, I’m going to protect people, and I will use every tool in my toolbox to protect the people of Ontario and protect the people of Canada.”

Ford stated his ad wasn’t intended to “poke the president in the eye,” but rather to “get a conversation going” and “wake up the democrats” in the U.S., referencing a CNN poll showing Canada’s higher popularity than the U.S. President.

“We love Americans. I’ll tell you we don’t love President Trump,” Ford said. “So why doesn’t the President start being nice, play nice in the sandbox, to his biggest customer in the entire world, and everything’s hunky dory, so let’s get on with it.”

When asked whether he would call Hoekstra and ask for an apology, Ford said he wouldn’t and stressed that the two had a friendly relationship due to an ongoing sports bet.

“I got to bet on with him that if the Jays win, he has to wear a Jays Jersey in Ottawa, the most popular thing. As a matter of fact, he’d be more popular if he wore a Jay’s jersey. And if the Jays lose, which they aren’t going to lose, I’ve got to wear an LA Dodgers jersey,” Ford said. “So this is what I mean, you want to call Dave Patterson up, who is an absolute champion for Ontario, and I backed the guy 1,000%. You want to shoot and scream at him. Go ahead. Call me up, shoot and scream at me. I can go with the best of them.”