B.C. Premier David Eby answers questions during a news conference following a cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Government House in Victoria, on Thursday. Eby on Monday called out U.S. leadership for comments about Canadians avoiding U.S. travel and alcohol.
"Do they think Canadians are not going to respond when the president says, 'I want to turn you into the 51st state and begger you economically unless you bow to the U.S.'?" Eby said in an interview on CBC's Power and Politics Monday evening in Huntsville, Ont., where premiers are meeting this week.
"Obviously, Canadians are outraged."
Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, made the remarks about Canadians avoiding U.S. travel and booze when he was speaking at the annual Pacific NorthWest Economic Region Foundation summit in Bellevue, Wash.
The Canadian Press was provided with a recording of the ambassador's comments by Eby's office, which said it received the audio from someone who was in the audience.
Eby said in a statement that Hoekstra's remarks show Canadians' efforts to stand up to Trump are "having an impact," and he encouraged people to "keep it up."
WATCH | Hoekstra says call '51st state' comments term of endearment:
A representative of Hoekstra's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The ambassador made the remarks in response to a question from a conference moderator about what could be done to get people travelling again as Vancouver and Seattle prepare to host games as part of next year's FIFA World Cup.
President 'out on his own': Eby
"Canadians staying home, that's their business, you know. I don't like it, but if that's what they want to do, it's fine. They want to ban American alcohol. That's fine," Hoekstra said.
"There are reasons why the president and some of his team referred to Canada as being mean and nasty to deal with, OK, because of some of those steps."
Hoekstra added that he "can get alcohol across the border if [he] wanted to."
"We go back and forth to Michigan and they don't check my car when I come back," he said, drawing laughs from the crowd.
WATCH | What you need to know about Canada's premiers meeting in Ontario:
On Power and Politics, Eby said Canadians should "stick with it, hold the line, but at the end of the day, we need to get past that."
The premier said he believes Americans don't share their government's stance.
"They're saying things like, 'I'm sorry.' We're friends, we're neighbours, we're partners. Canadians feel the same way about everyday Americans and I think the president is out on his own on this," Eby said.
B.C. is among the provinces that banned the sale of U.S. alcohol from government-run stores after Trump slapped steep tariffs on goods from Canada, a move that has prompted some Canadians to cancel their cross-border trips.
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USA Today
19 minutes ago
- USA Today
We're creating AI that could surveil US citizens. And the government is in on it.
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Add to that list a new organization: Palantir. While it is not a household name like Google or Netflix, it is soon to be a common domestic concern. The technology company's surveillance operation has exploded in recent months, raising the possibility of creating a full-fledged surveillance state. Opinion: AI knows we shouldn't trust it for everything. I know because I asked it. Since January, Palantir has received more than $113 million in federal funds, according to The New York Times, not including a $795 million Defense Department contract awarded in May. While the federal government increased data sharing across agencies (with Palantir's help), the company continues to shop its technology to the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service. AI technology could be repurposed for sinister uses We are talking about technology that can be weaponized. 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The same goes for OpenAI and Palantir, which are all too comfortable amassing ever-larger federal contracts and greater market share. This lack of transparency or accountability is unacceptable. The only thing worse than the overreach of Big Government is Big Tech in bed with Big Government. For those who care about freedom and liberty, now is the time to speak up, before it is too late. Peyton Hornberger serves as communications director at The Alliance for Secure AI, a nonprofit organization that educates the public about the implications of advanced artificial intelligence.


USA Today
19 minutes ago
- USA Today
Trump wins again: Columbia's $200 million fine will reshape higher education
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Newsweek
21 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Approval Rating Changes Direction With Working Class
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