U.S. ambassador 'disappointed' with anti-American sentiment in Canada

[240B]

U.S. ambassador 'disappointed' with anti-American sentiment in Canada

CBC
Ashley Burke
Sep 18, 2025



The U.S. ambassador to Canada is expressing frustration over the anti-American sentiment he sees in this country, including from politicians, after U.S. President Donald Trump hit most of the world with tariffs.

Asked what surprised him about Canada since starting his new role in April, Pete Hoekstra said Thursday that what's most "unexpected" is the country's feelings about the U.S.

"I'm disappointed that I came to Canada — a Canada that it is very, very difficult to find Canadians who are passionate about the American-Canadian relationship," Hoekstra said at an event hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

"You ran a campaign where it was anti-American, elbows up, me too. You know, that was an anti-American campaign. That has continued. That's disappointing."

Hokestra said Prime Minister Mark Carney's remark in the House of Commons on Monday that Canada currently has "the best deal with the U.S. worldwide right now" has helped "take the tone and tenor of the debate down."

But he said a cabinet minister describing what Hoekstra called a "trade dispute" as a "war" is not helping.

(more)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/us-ambassador-to-canada-disappointed-anti-american-campaign-1.7637534

[Smokin Joe]

Should have gone to Calgary or Edmonton instead of Ottawa.

[MeganC]

Canada prides themselves as not being American.

They are not proud of being Canadian. Just proud of not being American.

[240B]

Canada prides themselves as not being American.

They are not proud of being Canadian. Just proud of not being American.

We shall see how things settle out ... after the split.

[DefiantMassRINO]

Quebec and Ontario are Canadian, but not Canada.

New Englanders have family, historic, and cultural ties with the Maritimes.

DC and Ottawa will stink up our countries, but at the end of they day, New England and the Maritimes have more in common than we have differences.

We both resent the Quebcois equally.  You lost the French and Indian War of 1763.  Learn to speak English you filthy French Canadian Eurotrash.

[roamer_1]

Canada prides themselves as not being American.

They are not proud of being Canadian. Just proud of not being American.

That's right -And good on em.

Doesn't stop them from being the single most American-like culture on the planet. I have been to Canada bunches of times, and outside of a Timmy Horton's on the street corner, and Maple leafs on their flag, you'd be hard pressed to find a difference.

They work like us. They pray like us, they drive like us, they play like us. We're the same dang thing. Definitively our brothers, and if not, the closest thing to it.

A brother by any other name is still a brother. Let em be Canada, and be happy about it.

[Wingnut]

Quebec and Ontario are Canadian, but not Canada.
  You lost the French and Indian War of 1763.  Learn to speak English you filthy French Canadian Eurotrash.

Le Quebecois. Wine drinkers. Pea soup eaters. French Canadians!

[Canuck Conservative]

very, very difficult to find Canadians who are passionate about the American-Canadian relationship

LOL, A lot of people in Canada used to think we had a special relationship with the US too ... then Pres. Trump effectively declares economic war on Canada with steep tariffs ... what a great way to kill all the goodwill built up over decades!!

Canada & the US do over $900 billion in trade every year ... yet all we ever heard was this endless "230% [or whatever it was] tariff on US dairy, etc. etc." ... never mentioning the fact that it only applied to trade exceeding pre-agreed quotas, which almost never happens, and US dairy imports make up only a tiny fraction of cross-border trade anyway

So, all of Canadian trade had to be held hostage because of that "230%" obsession, closing businesses here and putting people out of work ... that's why there's hostility now

Plus, Pres. Trump saying factually-incorrect things like, "they don't produce anything we need" ... that stupid comment created enough bad will to last for years

"How to Destroy a Good Relationship 1.0", by Donald Trump

[DB]

LOL, A lot of people in Canada used to think we had a special relationship with the US too ... then Pres. Trump effectively declares economic war on Canada with steep tariffs ... what a great way to kill all the goodwill built up over decades!!

Canada & the US do over $900 billion in trade every year ... yet all we ever heard was this endless "230% [or whatever it was] tariff on US dairy, etc. etc." ... never mentioning the fact that it only applied to trade exceeding pre-agreed quotas, which almost never happens, and US dairy imports make up only a tiny fraction of cross-border trade anyway

So, all of Canadian trade had to be held hostage because of that "230%" obsession, closing businesses here and putting people out of work ... that's why there's hostility now

Plus, Pres. Trump saying factually-incorrect things like, "they don't produce anything we need" ... that stupid comment created enough bad will to last for years

"How to Destroy a Good Relationship 1.0", by Donald Trump

You fail to see the fallacy in your tariff argument. Of course only a "tiny" percentage of products get hit by the 230% sliding scale tariffs. Well duh, who's going to pay the 230%? That's why it was done. Who knows what would be sold if they didn't have the quota tariffs on those products. If they really were so tiny and unimportant like you claim, then it would be simple matter to get rid of them - but that's the not case is it? Instead, Canada decided to play chicken with tariffs and seriously screwed themselves over in the process. Like Lexus moving their final assembly to Japan to avoid the tariffs coming into the United States from Canada.

It's a two-way street. If Canada didn't apply tariffs to American goods America wouldn't apply tariffs on Canadian goods.

[roamer_1]

You fail to see the fallacy in your tariff argument. Of course only a "tiny" percentage of products get hit by the 230% sliding scale tariffs. Well duh, who's going to pay the 230%? That's why it was done. Who knows what would be sold if they didn't have the quota tariffs on those products. If they really were so tiny and unimportant like you claim, then it would be simple matter to get rid of them - but that's the not case is it? Instead, Canada decided to play chicken with tariffs and seriously screwed themselves over in the process. Like Lexus moving their final assembly to Japan to avoid the tariffs coming into the United States from Canada.

It's a two-way street. If Canada didn't apply tariffs to American goods America wouldn't apply tariffs on Canadian goods.

That's not exactly right. Much of this fight is over food and drink stuff, where tariffs are in place to protect local products - American Dairy was likewise protected until very recently. Even now, our local dairies have a leg up on national chains, at least around here. That's changing, but still, slowly.

Another reason for tariffs on food stuff is Canada in disagreement with additive and preservative standards coming from the US - That should be respected.

It's a more complicated relationship than the first look will give you.

Now, that being said, Ottowa has also been using tariffs to skim deals, and block projects in woke fashion - So there is a legitimate b*tch here.

[Smokin Joe]

That's not exactly right. Much of this fight is over food and drink stuff, where tariffs are in place to protect local products - American Dairy was likewise protected until very recently. Even now, our local dairies have a leg up on national chains, at least around here. That's changing, but still, slowly.

Another reason for tariffs on food stuff is Canada in disagreement with additive and preservative standards coming from the US - That should be respected.

It's a more complicated relationship than the first look will give you.

Now, that being said, Ottowa has also been using tariffs to skim deals, and block projects in woke fashion - So there is a legitimate b*tch here.

I know what you are saying about foodstuffs. There is a four letter (acronym) food preservative used in some Canadian snacks that Mrs. Joe had a reaction to--at least that was the one ingredient in common in the snacks she could not tolerate. We just quit buying Canadian snacks.

[roamer_1]

I know what you are saying about foodstuffs. There is a four letter (acronym) food preservative used in some Canadian snacks that Mrs. Joe had a reaction to--at least that was the one ingredient in common in the snacks she could not tolerate. We just quit buying Canadian snacks.

 
Goes both ways, I guess...Anyhow, I think some of that is proper. I think Tumpy crying about Dairy tariffs is bullcrap. Maybe so - But it takes a long look to mess with any grocery tariff -- A whole bunch of that might be legit (both ways)