North American Leaders Exchange World Series Bets Amid US-Canada Trade Tensions

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have engaged in a friendly wager on the 2025 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, using the opportunity to jab at President Donald Trump's tariff policies. Ford offered to send Ontario maple syrup if the Blue Jays win, despite tariff costs at the border, while Newsom promised California wine should the Dodgers prevail, sarcastically questioning whether it could be sold in Canadian liquor stores given the current trade tensions. Both leaders closed their exchange with a toast to a tariff-free friendship between Ontario and California, highlighting ongoing trade disputes under Trump's administration. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also challenged President Trump to a World Series bet, but Trump has not responded, with Carney joking that Trump is "afraid" to make the bet and dislikes losing. The political backdrop includes Trump's previous threats to treat Canada like the "51st State" and the imposition of tariffs that have strained U.S.-Canada relations. Additionally, local officials such as the mayors of Toronto and Los Angeles and their police chiefs have made lighthearted wagers on the series, underscoring the mix of sports enthusiasm and political satire surrounding the event.