U.S. Ambassador’s Angry Outburst Over Ontario Trade Ad Sparks Diplomatic Tension
The diplomatic scene between Canada and the United States took a dramatic turn this week after reports surfaced that U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra had unleashed an expletive-filled tirade at Ontario’s trade representative, David Paterson. The confrontation reportedly took place during a prestigious Canadian American Business Council gala in Ottawa, attended by hundreds of high-profile business and political figures from both countries.
According to multiple sources, Hoekstra’s anger stemmed from an anti-tariff advertisement commissioned by Ontario, which had recently caught the attention—and irritation—of U.S. President Donald Trump. The ad, costing around $75 million, featured former U.S. President Ronald Reagan promoting free trade principles. It gained massive traction, with over 11 billion impressions in just a week, but apparently struck the wrong chord in Washington.
President Trump cited the Ontario ad as the reason he abruptly halted trade negotiations with Canada last week. He later went a step further, threatening to impose a 10% tariff on Canadian goods. Reports say the ambassador’s frustration boiled over when he confronted Paterson at the event, allegedly swearing and accusing Ontario Premier Doug Ford of “burning bridges” between the two nations.
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Witnesses described the ambassador as visibly angry, loudly scolding Paterson in front of guests, claiming that Ontario’s actions had jeopardized a nearly finalized deal involving steel, aluminum, and energy exports. Both the U.S. embassy and Paterson declined to comment on the incident, while Hoekstra reportedly hung up when contacted for clarification.
The Ontario government, meanwhile, defended its actions. Premier Doug Ford acknowledged that the ad was pulled earlier this week but said it had already achieved “tremendous success.” He insisted that the federal government, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, was aware of the campaign before it aired. Ford also suggested that President Trump would have found another reason to stall negotiations regardless of the ad.
In Parliament, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pressed the government to confirm whether the Prime Minister had indeed approved the commercial, demanding transparency about the ad’s potential impact on trade talks. However, Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc avoided a direct answer, emphasizing only that Canada remained committed to securing a fair trade agreement.
What makes this episode particularly striking is that it comes just days before a major Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where a deal between the U.S. and Canada was expected to be signed. With tensions now flaring, that agreement appears unlikely—unless there’s a sudden shift in tone from the White House.
In short, what began as a trade advertisement meant to promote free trade values has turned into a full-blown diplomatic storm. The fallout has not only strained relations between Ottawa and Washington but also placed Ontario in the center of a political and economic tug-of-war between two of North America’s closest allies.
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