HAMILTON, Canada

Canada is launching an ad campaign Friday in 12 US states to counter American tariffs, according to Foreign Minister Melanie Joly.

"We've already put $60 billion worth of counter-tariffs on American goods," Joly said in an interview with CNN.

Noting that the tariffs "are a tax on hardworking Americans," she argued that the "tariffs are going to cost more to Americans at the pump and also when they go do their groceries."

"We're launching an ad campaign today in 12 different states. Canadians are sending a message that there's no winners in a trade war. There will be job losses on both sides of the border," she said.

The campaign includes billboards along key highways in Florida, Nevada, Georgia, New Hampshire, Michigan and Ohio.

An Instagram post by the Canadian Embassy in the US said the billboards will read: "Tariffs are a tax on hardworking Americans."

"We know very much that these states are red states, but we're doing that because we think that we need to send a message to the American people for them to understand what's at stake," Joly said, urging Americans to speak to their lawmakers.

Asked about the possibility of delaying retaliatory tariffs, she said Canada paused $90 billion in countermeasures after the White House delayed some tariffs but remains prepared to act.

"Because of a pause on one of the executive orders coming out of the White House, we decided to pause the rest of the tariffs," she said.

Joly responded to US President Donald Trump's remarks that referred to Canada as the "51st state" and "one of the nastiest countries."

"Well, the rhetoric coming out of the White House is so, how can I say, absurd regarding the annexation and completely unacceptable," she said.

Saying that Canada is strengthening ties with Europe and the UK, Joly stressed: "We never started this trade war. We never called for it."

Trump's tariffs continue to cause uncertainty, as Canada is one of the countries specifically targeted by his trade policies.

The US president announced 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, among other measures, but postponed those penalties until April 2.