Ambassador Pete Hoekstra arrived in Canada expecting open arms, but what he got was a cold shoulder and a lesson in what happens when words from the south pack a punch. After years of tough talk from Donald Trump, is it any wonder Canadians aren’t waving the stars and stripes right now?
Hoekstra’s comments came during a Halifax Chamber of Commerce event, where he voiced his disappointment at the lack of Canadian passion for the U.S.-Canada relationship. He was clearly caught off guard, noting how difficult it is to find Canadians ready to defend the American connection. But let’s be honest: what did he expect after Trump’s barrage of tariffs and talk of annexing Canada?
When U.S. tariffs hit Canadian steel and aluminum, Ottawa didn’t just roll over. Instead, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne referred to the struggle as a “war”, defending Canadian jobs and calling out America’s backhanded tactics. That kind of language, Hoekstra argued, is a dangerous road—yet it’s hard to blame Canadians for their tone when they’ve been pushed around by their closest ally.
Trade numbers tell the story, too. Exports to the U.S. dropped nearly 16 percent since the tariffs landed, with imports also taking an 11 percent dive. Meanwhile, despite Hoekstra’s claims that Canada’s position has improved, the facts paint a different picture: businesses are hurting, and cross-border trust has taken a beating.
Even as retaliatory tariffs were finally dropped in a bid to restart meaningful trade talks, Hoekstra remained wary, warning that bad blood will linger into future negotiations. The review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) now looms, clouded by frustration on both sides.
So here’s the deal: if you dish out tough words and policies, don’t be surprised when your neighbour stands tall and pushes back. Hoekstra’s shock at Canadian sentiment is really just the echo of Trump’s own rhetoric bouncing back across the border.
References:
U.S. ambassador ‘disappointed’ with anti-American sentiment in Canada
