America’s Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra is “disappointed” that Canadians don’t like America all that much.
“I’m disappointed that I came to Canada, a Canada (where) it is very, very difficult to find Canadians who are passionate about the American-Canadian relationship,” said Hoekstra during a luncheon with the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.
Hoekstra, 71, was the Michigan GOP chair before his appointment to the ambassadorship in April. His comments came the day after he said he was saddened Canada wasn’t excited about working with America on topics in their mutual national interests.
“Whether it’s energy, whether it’s automotive, whether it’s nuclear, defense and all of those types of things, we were hoping that we would not just renegotiate CUSMA, but that we could take it into being something much bigger,” he said, referring to the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that deals with free trade between the three nations.
“It’s obvious, at least at this point in time, that that’s not going to happen,” he said.
Hoekstra took particular issue with Canada’s “Elbows Up” campaign, a grassroots campaign of national solidarity that sprung up as a result of the Trump administration’s tariffs on Canada and President Trump’s suggestions that Canada become the 51st state. The phrase “Elbows Up” comes from hockey, and it means to skate with one’s elbows up to repel checks from opposing players. It was used frequently by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the campaign trail.
“‘Elbows up’… was an anti-American campaign. That has continued. That’s disappointing,” said Hoekstra.
Canadian government officials haven’t exactly voiced remorse for the country’s anti-American unity in recent months. On Wednesday, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the Trump administration’s 35% tariffs on Canadian goods have forced the country to “reinvent” its economy.
“It is sad, I would say, that our largest trading partner turned its back on Canada, which has led to us having to reassess how we’re going to build the economy of the future,” he said.
Canada dropped some its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods in August, but it maintains a 25% tariff rate on U.S. cars, steel and aluminum.
Carney has voiced that he’s open to reopening the door for the United States to improve its trade policies with Canada.
“We have the ambition, but a deal is a deal, and a deal has to go for both sides, and Canada will agree to a deal that’s in the best interest of Canadians,” said Carney.
“It should not surprise anyone, including the U.S. ambassador.”
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