Premier Doug Ford condemned U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra’s profanity-filled outburst towards Ontario’s trade representative as “completely inappropriate” and “not in line with the conduct expected of an ambassador.” The incident occurred at a Canadian American Business Council event in Ottawa, where witnesses reported Hoekstra’s heated confrontation with David Paterson, mentioning Ford and apparently triggered by Ontario’s anti-tariff ad that recently aired in the U.S.
Ford stood by the ad, stating it was necessary to counter multiple attacks from President Donald Trump against Ontario and Canada. He urged Hoekstra to apologize to Paterson and resume negotiations, emphasizing the importance of resolving the issue amicably. Ford emphasized that the ad aimed to spark dialogue and raise awareness, not provoke the president.
The ad featured a speech by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan opposing tariffs, a viewpoint Ford believes is crucial and truthful. Despite the tensions, Ford referred to Hoekstra as “a good guy,” highlighting their friendly wager on the World Series outcome. Hoekstra, known for his candid remarks on the Canada-U.S. relationship, previously criticized Canadian responses to Trump’s tariffs and downplayed Trump’s remarks about Canada potentially becoming the 51st state.