Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called for an apology from US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra following a heated exchange between the envoy and Ontario’s trade representative, David Paterson. The confrontation, described by CBC News as an “expletive-laced tirade,” stemmed from a TV advertisement funded by the Ontario government that criticized President Trump’s tariffs. The ad featured a quote from former President Ronald Reagan, stating that tariffs “hurt every America,” taken from his 1987 national radio address on foreign trade. Ford deemed Hoekstra’s remarks “absolutely unacceptable” and urged him to make amends, saying, “Pete, you gotta call Dave up and apologize. It’s simple.” The ad, which aired during the World Series games between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, was hailed by Ford as “the most successful ad in North American history,” garnering over one billion impressions globally. However, it has sparked frustration within the Trump administration, with President Trump threatening to impose an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports. Last week, Trump suspended trade talks with Canada over the ad, though the US Senate recently voted 50-46 to block these tariffs. The resolution, however, is unlikely to pass the House of Representatives. Ford defended his actions, stating, “What do they expect me to do? Sit back and roll over like every other person in the world?” The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the US and Canada over trade policies.
Ontario premier demands apology from US ambassador over tariff ‘tirade’
