Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called on US Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, to apologize following a tense exchange with Ontario trade representative David Paterson. The confrontation, described by CBC News as “an outburst filled with insults,” centered on a provincial advertisement criticizing tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump.
Ford labeled Hoekstra’s language as “completely unacceptable” and “unworthy of an ambassador”, urging him to resolve the situation. “Pete, you need to call Dave and apologize. It’s simple,” Ford said.
The dispute follows Trump’s suspension of trade talks with Canada over the advertisement, with threats of an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports. Ford humorously referred to the incident as, “I get it, the cheese slipped off the cracker. You’re upset, but call the guy because you’re a good man, and Dave is my champion.”
The controversial ad, funded by the Ontario government, included a quote from Ronald Reagan stating that tariffs “hurt every American,” taken from his 1987 radio address on foreign trade. Ford’s intent was to influence public opinion in conservative-leaning areas that support Trump. He claimed the advertisement garnered over a billion views globally.
The ad also aired during the first two games of the World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers, which Ford described as “the most successful advertisement in North American history.”
The ad, however, drew criticism from the Trump administration, with the former president threatening additional tariffs beyond current levels in response. Currently, Canadian goods face a 35% tariff, though most items are exempt under a free trade agreement. Some sectors, however, are subject to higher tariffs, including 50% on steel and aluminum and 25% on automobiles.
On Wednesday, the US Senate voted 50-46 in favor of a resolution that would block Trump’s tariffs on Canada by ending the national emergency used to impose them. However, the measure is unlikely to secure the necessary support in the US House of Representatives.
