The U.S. ambassador to Canada reportedly launched into a profanity-laden outburst directed at Ontario’s trade representative during an event in Ottawa, according to witnesses who spoke with CBC News. The incident, which occurred at the National Gallery of Canada during the Canadian American Business Council’s state of the relationship event, quickly became the talk of influential circles in Ottawa and Washington.
The gathering, known for bringing together cabinet ministers, diplomats, and business leaders to network and celebrate the Canada-U.S. relationship, featured Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Dominic LeBlanc, the minister overseeing Canada-U.S. trade. Witnesses observed Ambassador Pete Hoekstra expressing his displeasure towards Ontario’s trade representative, David Paterson, seemingly triggered by the province’s recent anti-tariff advertisement that had drawn the ire of President Donald Trump. Hoekstra was heard using strong language, including references to Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
Following Ontario’s ad campaign featuring former U.S. president Ronald Reagan’s voice, Trump abruptly halted trade talks with Canada and threatened to impose a 10% tariff on Canadian goods. The event, which typically includes speeches from both U.S. and Canadian ambassadors, this time only featured prepared remarks from Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford called on Hoekstra to apologize to Paterson during a news conference, emphasizing the need to mend relations. The Toronto Sun and The Globe and Mail were the first to report on the incident. The U.S. Embassy declined to comment on the matter when approached by CBC News.
Efforts by Canada to negotiate relief from U.S. tariffs have hit a standstill after months of discussions, with the initial hope of a comprehensive trade and security deal now scaled back to focusing on reducing specific sectoral tariffs. Hoekstra’s history of making candid remarks about the Canada-U.S. relationship has drawn attention in the past, including his characterization of Canadian responses to Trump’s tariffs as “nasty” and his attempt to downplay Trump’s comments about Canada becoming the 51st state as a term of endearment.
During a recent meeting between Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump acknowledged Hoekstra’s performance, questioning if he was performing well and suggesting a possible replacement if not satisfied.