Yes, the quotes featured in the recent Canadian advertisements about tariffs do come from Ronald Reagan’s real words—but the ads present them in a selectively edited way that changes their context.
In 1987, Ronald Reagan gave a radio address from Camp David titled “Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade.” In it, Reagan criticized tariffs as short-term measures that could hurt long-term growth, warning that “high tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation… markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industries shut down, and millions lose their jobs”.[1][2][3][4]
However, Reagan’s speech also included parts not shown in the ads, where he defended limited tariffs recently imposed on Japanese goods as a response to unfair trade practices, saying he would lift them once Japan complied with trade agreements. The Canadian ad (produced by Ontario) omitted these sections, instead splicing together phrases from the middle and end of his speech to make it appear as if Reagan was wholly condemning tariffs with no nuance.[5][6][7][8]
The Ronald Reagan Foundation confirmed the ad used his actual words but stated that it “misrepresents” their meaning by removing Reagan’s justification for limited tariffs within a framework of “free but fair trade”.[6][9][1]
In short:
- Yes, Reagan did say the words about tariffs harming the economy.
- But, the Canadian ad edited out key context, giving the false impression that Reagan opposed tariffs entirely rather than supporting fair, targeted trade measures under specific conditions.
