The U.S. envoy to Canada unleashed a profanity-laden outburst towards Ontario’s trade representative at an event in Ottawa on Monday, according to witnesses. The incident, which took place at the National Gallery of Canada during the Canadian American Business Council’s state of the relationship event, quickly made waves in influential circles in both Ottawa and Washington.
The annual gathering, known for fostering connections and honoring the Canada-U.S. bond, typically attracts a mix of cabinet officials, diplomats, and business figures. This year’s event saw the presence of Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Dominic LeBlanc, the minister overseeing Canada-U.S. trade.
Eyewitnesses reported that U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra angrily confronted Ontario’s trade representative, David Paterson, over the province’s recent anti-tariff advertisement that had irked President Donald Trump. Hoekstra was heard using explicit language, including mentioning Ontario Premier Doug Ford by name.
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 products. The event featured prepared remarks solely from Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, whereas previous years included speeches from both American and Canadian ambassadors.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged Hoekstra to apologize to Paterson during a press conference, emphasizing the need to mend the rift caused by the tirade. Ford stated, “Pete, you’ve gotta call Dave up and apologize. It’s simple. You know, the cheese slipped off the cracker. I get it, you’re ticked off, but call the guy up, because you’re a good guy and Dave’s my champion.”
Reports about the incident were first covered by The Toronto Sun and The Globe and Mail. The U.S. Embassy declined to provide a comment to CBC News regarding the matter. Efforts by Canada to evade U.S. tariffs have hit a roadblock after prolonged negotiations, pivoting towards reducing specific sectoral tariffs as broader trade and security agreements remain elusive.
Hoekstra, known for his candid remarks on the Canada-U.S. relationship, had previously criticized Canadian responses to Trump’s tariffs as “nasty” and downplayed Trump’s remarks about Canada becoming the 51st state as a term of endearment. Trump’s acknowledgment of Hoekstra’s performance during a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney raised questions about the ambassador’s effectiveness in his role.