The MeidasTouch Podcast — Episode Summary

Episode Title: Furious Canada Puts the Dagger in Trump With Massive Campaign
Date: October 22, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Podcast: The MeidasTouch Podcast (MeidasTouch Network)

Overview

In this dynamic episode, the Meiselas brothers break down Canada’s escalating pushback against Donald Trump’s trade policies. With assertive actions on trade realignment, a massive ad campaign targeting American audiences, and pointed statements by Canadian leaders, Canada demonstrates a new willingness to sever its traditional alignment with the U.S. and pursue diversified alliances. Using humor, candid analysis, and exclusive audio, the brothers chronicle how Canada is “putting the dagger in Trump” and what that means for North American and global politics.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Canada’s Retaliatory Strategy Against Trump’s Tariffs

• Canada’s anger: Canada is furious over Trump’s latest tariffs and is openly countering them with bold measures (00:00).
• Diversifying alliances: Canada is attending the ASEAN Conference, seeking direct engagement with China and India, looking to reduce its economic dependency on the U.S. (00:00–03:12).

Ben: “Canada also showed how you restructure your security arrangements in a changing world order where America’s no longer going to be the dominant power.” (01:40)

• Blueprint for resistance: Citing Foreign Policy magazine, Ben calls Canada’s reforms “a blueprint for Washington’s victims around the world” (01:20).

2. The $75 Million Anti-Tariff Ad Campaign

• Ontario’s bold move: Premier Doug Ford spearheaded a $75 million ad buy across the U.S., featuring Ronald Reagan’s narration, targeting Trump’s tariffs (00:42, 04:15).

Doug Ford: “We're going to launch a $75 million ad and... repeat that message to every Republican district there is right across the entire country.” (04:24)

• Tactical ad placement: The ad aired during the American League Championship when the Toronto Blue Jays played, ensuring Trump himself saw it (05:12).
• Trump’s reaction: Trump acknowledges seeing the ad and tries to downplay its potential impact (05:41).

Trump: “I saw an ad last night from Canada. If I was Canada, I'd take that same ad also. But they're actually on television taking ads.” (05:46)

3. The Actual Ronald Reagan Ad

• Ad message: Using Reagan’s voice, the ad argues that tariffs are harmful to American workers, provoke trade wars, and damage the economy (06:22).

Ronald Reagan (Ad): “Trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer. High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. Then the worst happens—markets collapse, businesses shut down, and millions lose their jobs.” (06:40)

4. Canada’s New Diplomatic Philosophy

• Equal footing with U.S. and China: Prime Minister Carney articulates a policy shift toward viewing the U.S. much like China—no longer with special preference (07:18, 08:18).

Prime Minister Carney: “We have to look for alignment of incentives and interests as much as possible... Canada determining where can we trust the United States through ups and downs, and in what areas can we do that and where should we have that exposure? It’s a similar process with China.” (08:30)

• Canada reopening with China: Describes high-level meetings with Chinese officials, signaling renewed engagement and a willingness to expand trade beyond the U.S. (08:18–09:54).

5. Tariff Impacts on Canada and the U.S.

• Ford’s economic argument: Ford details the ways Trump’s tariffs hurt American households, with statistics from Yale and the Center for Automotive Research (11:58, 13:51).

Doug Ford: “A tariff on Canada is nothing more than a tax on Americans... Yale University has put out the cost of tariffs at about $2,400 for every American household and expects the American economy to shed nearly half a million jobs by the end of 2025.” (12:43)

• Automotive tariffs: Projected to increase automaker costs by $108 billion in the U.S., driving up inflation and eliminating jobs (13:51).

6. Canada’s Shift on EV (Electric Vehicle) Tariffs and Trade with China

• Dropping EV tariffs: Canada considers removing tariffs on Chinese-made EVs, which would be reciprocated by China eliminating tariffs on Canadian products (16:28, 17:43).

Chinese Ambassador (paraphrased): “If Canada removes the unilateral, unjustified tariffs on Chinese products, China will also reciprocate accordingly.” (17:43)

• Oil and gas exports: Canada is exploring expanded oil and LNG exports to China as part of market diversification (18:03).

7. U.S. Domestic Backlash – Pennsylvania’s Perspective

• Governor Shapiro’s remarks: He lambasts Trump’s tariffs for harming not just Canada, but U.S. states like Pennsylvania, increasing costs for businesses and consumers, and damaging key bilateral relationships (18:32).

Governor Shapiro: “By the President pushing the tariff button, he’s not only alienating one of our most important global allies, he’s driving up the cost for Pennsylvania farmers, small businesses, manufacturers, even those using American materials.” (19:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben: “Could you just imagine? The guy's bulldozing the White House right now while all of this is going on...” (21:08)
• Doug Ford: “These kinds of enormous costs on business result in two things—higher prices for American consumers and fewer jobs for American workers, and inflation on the backs of American workers.” (13:54)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–01:40: Overview of Canada’s anger and strategic pivot
• 03:12–03:56: PM Carney discusses ASEAN, diversifying trade, and agency over Canada’s future
• 04:15–05:12: Doug Ford reveals the ad buy details; ad to blanket all U.S. networks
• 05:41–06:13: Trump’s defensive response after seeing the ad
• 06:22–07:18: Full playback of the Ronald Reagan-narrated advertisement
• 08:18–09:54: PM Carney describes Canada’s new diplomatic posture towards the U.S. and China
• 11:58–13:48: Ford breaks down the negative impact of tariffs on both Canadian and U.S. economies
• 15:20–16:28: Foreign Minister Anand on negotiating with China and India, protecting Canadian interests
• 17:32–18:03: Reciprocal tariff relief between Canada and China explained by Chinese Ambassador
• 18:32–20:58: Governor Shapiro’s forceful critique of Trump’s tariff policy from a domestic American perspective

Conclusion

This episode captures a pivotal geopolitical moment, as Canada energetically counters Trump’s economic and diplomatic antagonism with unprecedented boldness and creativity. Through a record-breaking ad campaign and a clear message from its leaders, Canada signals a willingness to re-imagine North American ties and assert its interests on the global stage. The MeidasTouch team delivers an essential, insightful, and often humorous breakdown of the shifting U.S.–Canada relationship for listeners hungry for both analysis and authentic perspective.

For those who missed the episode, this summary covers the major storylines, key speaker insights, and notable quotes while encapsulating the MeidasTouch blend of news, attitude, and brotherly banter.