Latest news with #Hoekstra
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ambassador Hoekstra says U.S. and Canadian leaders aiming to mend fences
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra speaks on the second day of the Mackinac Policy Conference at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Mich., on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) From snipes about turning the great white north into the 51st state to booing during 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' the U.S. relationship with its northern neighbor and closest ally has seemingly soured since the election of President Donald Trump. However Pete Hoekstra, the United States ambassador to Canada, offered a significantly more positive outlook during the Mackinac Policy Conference Wednesday, telling the attendees that Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are aligned in their goals of revitalizing each of their nation's economies. 'Can you imagine what happens in North America if the Canadian economy is booming and the U.S. economy is booming at the same time?' Hoekstra asked. 'We've got strong leadership, committed to economic growth, committed to the same types of economic principles who want to get to a deal. That gives me a lot of optimism,' Hoekstra said. However, there are some obstacles, Hoekstra said, notably pointing to the lack of a pro-American trade voice in Canada, noting that several provinces have banned the sale of American alcohol in retaliation to Trump's tariff policies. These issues are pebbles in the shoes, Hoekstra said, predicting that the U.S. and Canada would mend fences sooner rather than later. Carney appears to be serious about meeting Canada's NATO defense spending targets, Hoekstra said, and Canada has shown interest in participating in the United States' 'Golden Dome' missile defense system. In contrast to Hoekstra's optimism, Carney recently was quoted as saying that the 'process of deepening integration' with the U.S. is 'over' and that Canada was in a position now 'where we co-operate when necessary, but not necessarily co-operate.' Jacques Shore, a partner in the Ottawa-based law firm Gowling WLG, told Michigan Advance that Carney's stance is one born out of necessity. Shore, a past leader of the firm's National Government Affairs Group, said that while Hoekstra has been making an effort to actually meet Canadians, which is appreciated, in and of itself it can't erase the downturn in relations. 'I would say the pebbles in the shoes are relatively recent, because they have really come about as a result of a new focus of the President in the way in which he views Canada,' Shore said. In reaction to Hoekstra's comments, Shore said there is a sense that what had been a strong partnership between the two nations is now under some risk because of what's been said by Trump, but that's not to say that Canada is not 'absolutely engaged' in wishing to do everything it can to restore the relationship. However, Shore says the President's comments about making Canada a 51st state do not sit well with citizens of a proud and sovereign nation. 'I think that our Prime Minister said it extremely well when he made the comment that he has through the last election period spoken with the owners of Canada, which is obviously the citizens of Canada, and I don't think he necessarily even needed to have a campaign to see that Canadians are perfectly happy being Canadians, having the country that they have, continuing to build the country they have, without becoming part of the United States,' Shore said. Regardless, Hoesktra said while negotiations won't be easy, the U.S. and Canada could both see benefits to their manufacturing and energy industries if they reach a deal. Joining Hoekstra on stage, WOOD-TV reporter Rick Albin pressed the ambassador on the speed bumps on reaching a deal, and whether this would be a short term or long term concern. 'I think the president, and from what I'm hearing from my Canadian sources, are that the President and the Prime Minister would like to get to a resolution sooner rather than later,' Hoekstra said, emphasizing the American and Canadian jobs at stake. When asked if the U.S. and Canada could reach a zero sum deal or if tariffs would remain on both sides, Hoekstra said the president had made it clear there would be tariffs for every country looking to do business with the U.S. However, in negotiating with his Canadian colleagues, Hoekstra said there's no reason why trade between the U.S. and Canada couldn't be the least restrictive in the world in regards to tariffs. Michigan Advance Editor-in-Chief Jon King contributed to this story. This story was originally published by Michigan Advance. Like Maine Morning Star, Michigan Advance is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Michigan Advance maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor for questions: info@ SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hoekstra says U.S. and Canadian leaders aiming to mend fences
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra speaks on the second day of the Mackinac Policy Conference at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Mich., on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) From snipes about turning the great white north into the 51st state to booing during 'The Star-Spangled Banner', the U.S. relationship with its northern neighbor and closest ally has seemingly soured since the election of President Donald Trump. However Pete Hoekstra, the United States ambassador to Canada, offered a significantly more positive outlook during the Mackinac Policy Conference Wednesday, telling the attendees that President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are aligned in their goals of revitalizing each of their nation's economies. 'Can you imagine what happens in North America if the Canadian economy is booming and the U.S. economy is booming at the same time?' Hoekstra asked. 'We've got strong leadership, committed to economic growth, committed to the same types of economic principles who want to get to a deal. That gives me a lot of optimism,' Hoekstra said. However, there are some obstacles, Hoekstra said, notably pointing to the lack of a pro-American trade voice in Canada, noting that several provinces have banned the sale of American alcohol in retaliation to Trump's tariff policies. These issues are pebbles in the shoes, Hoekstra said, predicting that the U.S. and Canada would mend fences sooner rather than later. Carney appears to be serious about meeting Canada's NATO defense spending targets, Hoekstra said, and Canada has shown interest in participating in the United States' 'Golden Dome' missile defense system. In contrast to Hoekstra's optimism, Carney recently was quoted as saying that the 'process of deepening integration' with the U.S. is 'over' and that Canada was in a position now 'where we co-operate when necessary, but not necessarily co-operate.' Jacques Shore, a partner in the Ottawa-based law firm Gowling WLG, told Michigan Advance that Carney's stance is one born out of necessity. Shore, a past leader of the firm's National Government Affairs Group, said that while Hoekstra has been making an effort to actually meet Canadians, which is appreciated, in and of itself it can't erase the downturn in relations. 'I would say the pebbles in the shoes are relatively recent, because they have really come about as a result of a new focus of the President in the way in which he views Canada,' Shore said. In reaction to Hoekstra's comments, Shore said there is a sense that what had been a strong partnership between the two nations is now under some risk because of what's been said by Trump, but that's not to say that Canada is not 'absolutely engaged' in wishing to do everything it can to restore the relationship. However, Shore says the President's comments about making Canada a 51st state do not sit well with citizens of a proud and sovereign nation. 'I think that our Prime Minister said it extremely well when he made the comment that he has through the last election period spoken with the owners of Canada, which is obviously the citizens of Canada, and I don't think he necessarily even needed to have a campaign to see that Canadians are perfectly happy being Canadians, having the country that they have, continuing to build the country they have, without becoming part of the United States,' Shore said. Regardless, Hoesktra said while negotiations won't be easy, the U.S. and Canada could both see benefits to their manufacturing and energy industries if they reach a deal. Joining Hoekstra on stage, WOOD-TV reporter Rick Albin pressed the ambassador on the speed bumps on reaching a deal, and whether this would be a short term or long term concern. 'I think the president, and from what I'm hearing from my Canadian sources, are that the President and the Prime Minister would like to get to a resolution sooner rather than later,' Hoekstra said, emphasizing the American and Canadian jobs at stake. According to the Detroit Regional Chamber's 2025 state of the region report, 234,000 jobs in the Detroit Region alone rely on trade and investment with Canada. 'Again, the President is focused on economic growth and prosperity for the American people, which means engagement with Canada as our number two trading partner. And the interrelationships we have on the auto industry and the interrelationships that we have on energy, we can become a global powerhouse,' Hoekstra said, noting that cooperation would allow both nations to compete with China on automotive manufacturing and the Middle East on energy. Additionally, energy is crucial for AI development, Hoekstra noted. Canada also has critical minerals and an integrated structure with the United States auto industry, Hoekstra said, emphasizing China is both nation's competition. When asked if the U.S. and Canada could reach a zero sum deal or if tariffs would remain on both sides, Hoekstra said the president had made it clear there would be tariffs for every country looking to do business with the U.S. However, in negotiating with his Canadian colleagues, Hoekstra said there's no reason why trade between the U.S. and Canada couldn't be the least restrictive in the world in regards to tariffs. Michigan Advance Editor-in-Chief Jon King contributed to this story. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Politico
6 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Still not over it
Presented by COVE Ocean Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. Back to work. In today's edition: → New Democrats need a lifeline; Liberals need some phone-a-friends. → Advice for House rookies — yes, all of 'em. → Plus, a guide to the benches: Who is sitting where — and why. Trade war LOOK WHO'S TALKING — PETE HOEKSTRA just learned the hard way that although he's the U.S. envoy to Canada, there's no reliable way of speaking for DONALD TRUMP. — Tale of the tape: Over the weekend on CBC's 'The House,' Hoekstra advised Canadians to get over the '51st state' thing. 'If the Canadians want to keep talking about it, that's their business,' he told host CATHERINE CULLEN. 'I'm not talking about it. Donald Trump is not talking about it.' — O Canada: After an overnight stay in Ottawa, KING CHARLES III made headlines Tuesday at the close of the government's throne speech. 'The true north is indeed strong and free,' he said. There was no mention of Trump or annexation threats. — As if on cue: Trump was back at it Tuesday evening — wheeling a deal for his 'fabulous Golden Dome System.' The offer as presented to Canada on Truth Social: '$61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State.' — Making friends: Hoekstra is in The Hill Times this morning where he advises NEIL MOSS that he's not going to dwell on how Trump's words land in Canada. 'International diplomacy is tough. The world is a tough place. Getting prosperity, security, and safety for people— which are the top priorities of the president — that's hard,' he said during a May 22 interview. 'So, no, I'm not very sympathetic.' — Meanwhile, in diplomacy: The Globe is reporting via 'sources familiar' that Prime Minister MARK CARNEY has invited Mexican President CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM to attend the G7 Leaders' Summit in Alberta next month. We asked the PMO, but they said they couldn't say. → In related news: Carney says there needs to be more movement on tariffs before USMCA talks start, DARREN MAJOR of CBC News reports. And from MURRAY BREWSTER: PM says Canada is looking to join major European military buildup by July 1. Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android . DRIVING THE DAY AFTER THE ORANGE CRUSH: 7 UP — The New Democrats have been reduced to seven seats, and are no longer a recognized party in the House — but that hasn't killed their bargaining spirit. Liberals need votes to push through their agenda. The NDP still has more than enough. NDP MPs have a saying: Negotiations are in our DNA. That's their mentality as they dangle their support in exchange for concessions: a seat on committees, debate time in the House of Commons and more resources — aka money — to hire staff. New Democrats are negotiating with the governing Liberals and other parties. Interim NDP Leader DON DAVIES told reporters Monday the talks were 'fruitful.' Essentially there are two pathways for the NDP to get what they want. — Option 1: Convince the government to reform the Parliament of Canada Act. By law, a party must have 12 MPs to be a recognized party with access to the things they are now trying to wrangle. The law in theory could be amended to set the threshold at seven. → But, but, but: Government House Leader STEVEN MACKINNON threw cold water on that idea. 'The law says 12 members,' he said, adding there's no broad consensus to reduce the threshold. — Option 2: The House of Commons has limited jurisdiction over how parties are recognized. But the NDP will have to convince the Board of Internal Economy, which governs the chamber, to grant them resources. That committee is expected to be struck later this week. The NDP no longer has a seat at that table. This is the option the NDP is now pursuing. — Liberal lifeline: The government appears willing to help the NDP get at least some of what they want. MacKinnon told CTV's VASSY KAPELOS he's having 'constructive' conversations with Davies. 'I'm very open to entertaining some of his more practical requests,' he said Monday. 'We very much want to honor the history and the traditions and the role of the New Democratic Party.' — Getting messy: Bloc Québécois Leader YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET doesn't want the NDP back on committees. 'It's our balance of power and we will protect it quite seriously,' Blanchet said. He did not hide his self-interest. 'There might be conversations about the resources that might be devoted to them. It's not done with so much enthusiasm, but I believe we have to say, 'OK what … do you want, and what's in it for the rest of us?'' — Keeping cards close: Conservatives, who have in recent years thwarted committee work and sided with the Bloc, haven't said where they stand. Playbook asked Conservative Leader PIERRE POILIEVRE and Deputy Conservative Leader MELISSA LANTSMAN if New Democrats should have spots on committees. But they didn't answer the question. — TBD: Nobody wants an election, and New Democrats enjoy far less leverage than even a few months ago. But Liberals are under pressure to deliver on key priorities — and a dance partner at every step could be their ace in the hole. ON THE HILL TODAY'S AGENDA — The House will spend the next several days debating the government's throne speech. But Parliament also has a few hundred billion dollars in spending to approve — and a first set of Liberal priorities to hash out. → Countdown to BBQ season: 18 sitting days left. — Priority No. 1: Finance Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE gave the House notice of a ways and means motion to implement the government's first signature proposals: an income tax cut 'for nearly 22 million Canadians,' the elimination or reduction of the GST on new home purchases and the elimination of the consumer carbon price. MPs will debate the motion next week at the earliest, following the throne speech debate. — Spending approval: Treasury Board President SHAFQAT ALI unveiled his government's main spending estimates on Tuesday — a C$486.9 billion package that requests C$33.9 billion for national defense, C$25.2 billion for Indigenous services and C$13.1 billion for employment and social development. The government will schedule four 'business of supply' days before the summer break. On those days, an opposition party gets a chance to make headlines with a motion meant to apply pressure on the government. Eventually, MPs will vote on the spending estimates — the literal 'supply' of money the government spends. Where the leaders are — Prime Minister MARK CARNEY has not released his public itinerary. — Green Party Leader ELIZABETH MAY will be in the House. Crickets on itineraries from everyone else, though CP notes in its preview of the day: 'PIERRE POILIEVRE will be absent from the House of Commons for the first time in two decades.' THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — The annual CANSEC defense and security trade show is underway at the EY Centre near Ottawa's airport. Defense Minister DAVID MCGUINTY will deliver a breakfast keynote at 8:25 a.m. Former U.S. Secretary of State MIKE POMPEO is on tap for a lunchtime keynote. (Reporters are invited to attend — but not report on the speech. Pompeo is planning to speak to reporters afterward.) — Toronto Mayor OLIVIA CHOW is in Ottawa, where she'll attend question period and later meet with Housing Minister GREGOR ROBERTSON. — Speaker of the Senate RAYMONDE GAGNÉ will preside over the swearing-in of DAWN ARNOLD and FARAH MOHAMED. Caught our ear MARK YOUR CALENDARS — The Conversation with DASHA BURNS arrives on Sunday, June 1 — and we're dropping a first look. Each week on her new podcast, Dasha will sit down with one of the most compelling — and sometimes unexpected — power players in Washington. This isn't just a podcast. It's a new kind of political interview show for a moment when politics feels more personal, more chaotic and more consequential than ever. Catch the video and audio trailer out this morning to see what Dasha's digging into this season. And subscribe to the podcast, wherever you listen or watch. Talk of the town WELCOME TO THE HOUSE — MIKE MORRICE used to scurry around the House of Commons before each day's question period. The former Green MP made the most of that fleeting moment when ministers were in their seats, no staff to gatekeep access. No better time to champion a concern on behalf of a constituent. Lawmakers gather today for their first QP — a test of the post-election energy they'll collectively bring to the place. Playbook canvassed a handful for their best advice for newbies getting their feet wet. — Meet the staff: Former Speaker GREG FERGUS advises rookies to introduce themselves to any of the 2,500 House employees who keep the building running. 'Take the time to get to know the names of the Parliamentary Protective Service agents, the folks who work in the cafeteria, the analysts and researchers at committees, etc.,' Fergus told Playbook. 'A kind word or a thoughtful conversation with these folks takes but a moment for the MP, yet makes a big difference for the employee.' → Practical tip: 'If you wear pants with pockets, place both hands on the arms of your chair before sitting down,' Fergus advises. 'It will be impossible to rip your pants!' — Don't waste time or energy on haters: In 2021, former NDP MP MEGAN LESLIE served up some Playbook advice on screen time: 'My best piece of advice is to turn your notifications off on your phone so you can choose when to engage the haters (or not) and focus on the people in front of you.' — Conservative MP DAVE EPP: 'Take it all in. It won't be until later one realizes how special this is,' the three-term MP texted us as he witnessed the throne speech 'about eight rows back from the bar in the Senate.' — Conservative MP SCOTT AITCHISON: 'Prepare, prepare some more, then get home to the people who sent you here,' said the party's leading voice on the housing file. For your radar PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS — Some rookie lawmakers are still reckoning with the enormity of their victories, getting used to their view of the House chamber, not yet comfortable in the place. Some are surrounded by familiar faces. Others are strangers. Here's what we took away from our scan of the first seating plan of the session — the first, we should clarify, of many iterations as the ranks shift and MPs are promoted and demoted. — The first backbench: Twenty former Cabinet ministers sit directly beside and behind Carney's ministry — an echo of the JUSTIN TRUDEAU era. — More echoes: Health Minister MARJORIE MICHEL sits directly in front of Labor Secstate JOHN ZERUCELLI. Michel was Trudeau's deputy chief of staff. Zerucelli was the former PM's director of operations for nearly three years. — Alberta watching: Energy Minister TIM HODGSON sits beside Environment Minister JULIE DABRUSIN on the front bench. The resource sector broadly applauded Hodgson's appointment and was broadly skeptical of Dabrusin's elevation. — Backing up the PM: When the cameras are rolling on Carney, several members of his ministry are prominent behind him: ANITA ANAND, REBECCA ALTY, MANDY GULL-MASTY, RANDEEP SARAI and STEPHANIE MCLEAN. Yes, that placement is deliberate — often a gesture for increased camera time with Carney. — Two sword-lengths away: Oppo Leader ANDREW SCHEER is back in the same seat where he once served as party leader. Among those visible when he's on camera: deputy leaders MELISSA LANTSMAN and TIM UPPAL; Finance go-to JASRAJ SINGH HALLAN; Canada-U.S. trade critic SHELBY KRAMP-NEUMAN; former B.C. Cabmin ELLIS ROSS; and BILLY MORIN, former chief of Enoch Cree Nation. — NDP split: Five New Democrats are clustered in the chamber's far corner: DON DAVIES, HEATHER MCPHERSON, LEAH GAZAN, ALEXANDRE BOULERICE and LORI IDLOUT. The remaining pair — GORD JOHNS and JENNY KWAN — are marooned across the aisle. MORNING MUST-CLICKS — 'KING CHARLES III delivered a clear message Tuesday to anyone who doubts Canada's sovereignty,' MICKEY DJURIC reports. — The Hub's SEAN SPEER says the PM still has time to transition from campaign rhetoric to a governing agenda. 'But that transition must start to come soon.' — 'This summer, the traditional barbeque circuit could look quite different. Instead of trolling for votes, the Liberals could be trolling for recruits,' TASHA KHEIRIDDIN writes in the National Post. — Sen. PAULA SIMONS took The Narwhal's 'moose questionnaire' and the results were delightful. — On the 'Curse of Politics' pod, DAVID HERLE makes the case that next week's First Ministers' Meeting 'is of vastly more consequence than this throne speech.' — JEN ROSE SMITH of CNN inquires: Are American travelers still welcome in Canada? PROZONE Our latest Pro PM Canada subscriber newsletter by MIKE BLANCHFIELD: King's speech, Carney's policy. Other headlines for Pro subscribers: — Clean energy industry enters 'nightmare scenario.' — White House adviser on Apple tariffs: 'We'll see what happens.' — U.S. lawmakers form Heat Caucus: 'We've had too many deaths.' — Trump forces showdown over nuclear regulation. — UK seeking to negotiate down Trump's 10 percent tariffs. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to former Toronto Mayor JOHN TORY. Noted: Former Prime Minister JEAN CHRÉTIEN is recovering after having a heart stent inserted, CBC News reports. Spotted: At the Earnscliffe-POLITICO 'House-warming' party hosted by the Métropolitain: SUSAN HOLT, RANJ PILLAI, ROB LANTZ, ROMAN BABER, AARON GUNN, STEPHEN FUHR, SOPHIE CHATEL, PAULA SIMONS, KODY BLOIS, GERALD BUTTS, COLIN DEACON, CLÉMENT GIGNAC, LISA HEPFNER and plenty more parliamentarians, lobbyists, journalists and public servants. HEATHER MCPHERSON (in an Edmonton Oilers jersey). Former Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU, wearing sneakers during the throne speech — Adidas Gazelle in collegiate green, to be exact. (The Daily Mail has an exhaustive report.) … Transport Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND, sporting a purple outfit in the House of Commons that looked familiar. Rogers Communications chief corporate affairs officer NAVDEEP BAINS, schmoozing with MPs during the throne speech — and again later in West Block. Movers and shakers: RANDALL ZALAZAR made the jump from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to Amazon, where he started this week as manager of public policy. TRIVIA Tuesday's answer: Ottawa's Union Station, which eventually became the Government Conference Centre and now houses the Senate, ceased to operate as a railway station in 1966. Props to SCOTT MCCORD, LAURA GARFINKEL, DARRYL DAMUDE, JONATHAN MOSER, MALCOLM MCKAY, LAURA JARVIS, SEAN SUNDERLAND, JENN KEAY, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, JENI ARMSTRONG, SHAUGHN MCARTHUR, MICHAEL HORNAK, PHILLIP BLANCHER, JOHN PEPPER, RAY DEL BIANCO, YAROSLAV BARAN, ELIZABETH BURN, MARCEL MARCOTE, MELISSA COTTON and ANDREW SZENDE. Wednesday's question: 'The only certainty about him is that he was young,' then-Governor General ADRIENNE CLARKSON said in a eulogy delivered on this date in history. On what occasion was she speaking? Answers to canadaplaybook@
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Easier ways to send messages' to Trump than bringing in the King: U.S. ambassador
The new U.S. ambassador to Canada says he knows the implication of King Charles III's upcoming trip to Ottawa is to push back on U.S. President Donald Trump's 51st state threats — and he says there are "easier ways to send messages" to the American government. "We're thrilled that the king will be here," said U.S. ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, in an interview with CBC's The House that will air Saturday. "If there's a message in there, there's easier ways to send messages. Just give me a call. [Mark] Carney can call the president at any time." Hoekstra added that the annexation saga is "over." "Move on. If the Canadians want to keep talking about it — that's their business. I'm not talking about it; Donald Trump is not talking about it. We've got too much on our plate to move forward because we're all about increasing America's prosperity, safety and security." On Tuesday, King Charles will deliver the speech from the throne in the Senate. Every new session of Parliament is opened by a throne speech, which lays out the government's expected goals and how it plans to achieve them. The King's visit will mark the third time a British and Canadian monarch has read the speech from the throne in Canada, with Queen Elizabeth ll having delivered the speech in 1957 and 1977. Hoekstra said the U.S. government will be listening closely to "the content of the speech because it is the platform of the ruling party." King Charles will deliver the speech at about 11 a.m. ET and it's expected to take between 20 and 25 minutes. The U.S. ambassador also said "if there's going to be any discussion about the 51st state, it's going to be happening at the Donald Trump-Carney level, not at ambassadorial level, which tells me it's done." Hoekstra said his understanding is that trade and tariff negotiations are underway between Canada and the United States, but he doesn't know how intense they are at this point. Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Trump in the Oval Office earlier this month and discussed the economic and security relationship with the U.S. president, but the Canadians have insisted any deal must include the U.S. lifting its tariffs. Hoekstra said after the Carney-Trump summit, the U.S. president called on the Canadians to send a proposal about the tariffs."We're waiting, I think, and believing that the ball is in Canada's court to outline what they would like to do, maybe some proposals and those types of things," the U.S. ambassador added. Other countries around the world affected by U.S. tariffs have sent their own ideas to the Trump administration, which is pushing to get deals done and has no time for a drawn-out negotiation process, he said. On Wednesday, Carney said in French the U.S. is an economic threat to Canada — which Hoekstra pushed back on during his interview. "My opinion of that would be a little bit different," Hoekstra said. "The United States of America is a huge economic opportunity for Canada. It already is. You're our second-largest trading partner." Overall, Hoekstra said the United States is no longer going to support other countries at the expense of the American people. "We are going to be negotiating in the best interest of America and the American people. "We expect other countries to do the same thing in negotiations, and that actually will give us the best kind of agreements."
Hamilton Spectator
17-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Donald Trump's envoy suggests talks ‘over the next couple of weeks' will address the Canada-U.S. relationship
OTTAWA — Donald Trump's new emissary to Ottawa struck a friendly tone toward his Canadian hosts in a speech at a business summit on Friday, where he dodged any direct reference to the trade war his president launched and alluded to discussions about how Canada and the U.S. can 'move forward' with their relationship. In a speech at the B7 Summit of business groups from G7 countries — a private sector preview of next month's political summit of wealthy democracies in Kananaskis, Alta. — U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra spoke of his family connections to Canada and noted how his Dutch parents were 'liberated by Canadians' in the Netherlands during the Second World War. Pacing the stage and speaking without notes, Hoekstra also declared the United States is 'open for business' and keen to work with other countries on economic and security issues. He congratulated the federal government for bringing King Charles III to deliver the throne speech to open the new session of Parliament later this month, and joked how he liked Prime Minister Mark Carney's language from his recent White House visit, when he told President Trump that he had consulted the 'owners' of Canada on the campaign trail and they rejected his desire to annex the country as the 51st American state. 'Owners ... I like that. I'm just going to steal it from Carney,' said Hoekstra, who earlier this week told the National Post that the Trump administration is 'done' with any expectation it will absorb Canada. What remains, however, are tariffs imposed by both countries on the others' imports, after Trump first slapped duties on Canadian steel and aluminum, along with a host of other exports to the U.S., including Canadian-made cars. The federal government has responded with retaliatory tariffs on tens of billions of dollars worth of American imports. On April 28, Carney's Liberals won enough seats to form another minority government, with the prime minister promising to renegotiate Canada's economic and security ties with the U.S. and declaring that the previous relationship between the countries — where Canadians relied largely on the U.S. for trade and military co-operation — was 'over.' Hoekstra, who was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to Canada last month, said Friday that 'there will be discussions over the next couple of weeks' about how Canada and the U.S. 'move forward on a number of serious issues.' Referring to the business groups attending the summit, Hoekstra added that the U.S. wants 'to partner with you in things that secure our countries and our people.' Earlier, in a scrum with reporters at the event, Canadian Chamber of Commerce president Candace Laing said the American tariffs are causing a 'ton of damage' to businesses and workers. Earlier this week, Honda sparked concerns when it announced a two-year pause on plans for $15 billion in electric vehicle production in Ontario, citing a plunging profit forecast for this year. Touted as a major addition to Ontario's manufacturing base, the project hit roadblocks from a 'We've gone from a chill to a deep freeze,' Laing said. Asked whether the Canadian economy can bounce back and return to strength and business certainty if the tariffs are lifted, Laing added that it is 'too early to tell.' Addressing the business summit earlier Friday, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley — who ran unsuccessfully against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination last year — urged those listening to keep doing business with the U.S. and predicted the current trade tensions are temporary. It's just messy right now,' Haley said. 'This too shall pass.' In an interview with the Star, newly-appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said she will approach the U.S. relationship with 'respect and professionalism,' with the goal of reaching a solution to the crisis that benefits Canada. 'We need to advocate for Canadian interests and Canadian economic interests. And that's something that I have been focused on in multiple portfolios,' Anand said, referring to her past roles as minister of procurement, national defence, transport, and as president of the Treasury Board. Anand echoed Carney in rejecting Trump's desire to make Canada part of the U.S., and suggested any deal to get out of the current trade war would benefit both sides. 'Out focus is to get to the negotiating table to ensure that we are advancing Canadian interests in a way we have done historically. Canada is the only G7 country that has a free-trade agreement with every other G7 country. There's a reason for that. It's because we are able to advance Canadian interests at the negotiating table while reaching a mutually beneficial result,' Anand said. Looking ahead to next month's summit in Alberta, former Justin Trudeau adviser Gerald Butts — who informally advised Carney during the Liberal leadership race and beyond — told the audience at the business event in Ottawa that he has low hopes for what can be accomplished at the upcoming G7, where global trade concerns driven by Trump's tariffs are expected to dominate. 'Survival would be good. And I worry about that ... There are so many things that could go wrong,' said Butts, noting Trump's unpredictability, as well as how the host country of Canada just went through a national election. 'My expectations are low. I hope they are exceeded.' With files from Raisa Patel
