The U.S. ambassador to Canada reportedly unleashed a profanity-filled outburst towards Ontario’s trade representative during an event in Ottawa, as confirmed by multiple witnesses speaking to 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 made its way through influential circles in Ottawa and Washington.
The event, usually a platform for networking and celebrating the Canada-U.S. relationship with the presence of cabinet ministers, diplomats, and business leaders, saw the attendance of Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Dominic LeBlanc, the minister overseeing Canada-U.S. trade negotiations. Witnesses recounted Ambassador Pete Hoekstra directing a string of expletives at Ontario’s trade representative, David Paterson.
According to accounts, Hoekstra’s outburst was apparently triggered by an anti-tariff advertisement aired by Ontario in the U.S., which reportedly angered President Donald Trump. Witnesses heard Hoekstra using explicit language, including referencing Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The sources revealing these details chose to remain anonymous when speaking to CBC News.
Following Ontario’s ad campaign featuring the voice of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan, Trump abruptly halted trade discussions with Canada and threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on Canadian goods. Notably, this year’s event, which typically includes speeches from both U.S. and Canadian ambassadors, only featured prepared remarks from Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, in a news conference, urged Hoekstra to apologize to Paterson, emphasizing the need to mend relations. The Toronto Sun and The Globe and Mail were the initial publications to report on the incident, with the U.S. Embassy declining to provide a comment to CBC News.
Canada’s efforts to negotiate tariff relief with the U.S. have hit a roadblock after prolonged discussions. Initially aiming for a comprehensive trade and security deal, Ottawa has recalibrated its expectations towards reducing sector-specific tariffs recently. Hoekstra’s history of making straightforward comments on the Canada-U.S. relationship has drawn attention, including his previous criticism of Canadian reactions to Trump’s tariffs and his interpretation of Trump’s remarks about Canada becoming the 51st state. Trump’s evaluation of Hoekstra’s performance was also brought up during a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House.
