Premier Doug Ford criticized U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra’s profanity-laden outburst at Ontario’s trade representative as inappropriate and unbecoming of his diplomatic role. The incident occurred during a Canadian American Business Council event in Ottawa, where witnesses reported a heated exchange between Hoekstra and David Paterson, mentioning Ford and apparently triggered by Ontario’s anti-tariff ad that recently aired in the U.S.
Ford defended the ad as a necessary response to ongoing attacks by President Trump on Ontario and Canada, stressing the need to stand up for the region. He called on Hoekstra to apologize to Paterson and resume negotiations, emphasizing the importance of reconciliation. Ford dismissed accusations that the ad was meant to provoke Trump, clarifying that its purpose was to spark dialogue and highlight the adverse impacts of tariffs on both countries.
The ad featured excerpts of a speech by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan advocating against tariffs, a position Ford believes reflects the truth about the economic repercussions of imposing tariffs on Canadian goods. Despite the tensions, Ford expressed his regard for Hoekstra as a “good guy” and revealed a friendly bet between them over the World Series outcome.
Hoekstra, known for his candid remarks on Canada-U.S. relations, previously criticized Canadian measures in response to Trump’s tariffs and downplayed Trump’s jests about Canada becoming a U.S. state. Ford urged for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict and emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue to mend relations between the two nations.