Peter Hoekstra, Ambassador-designate of the United States, left, presents his letters of credence to Governor-General Mary Simon during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on April 29.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
The new U.S. ambassador to Canada says Washington and Ottawa now have “a big job ahead of us,” as both countries prepare for negotiations on a new economic and security relationship in the aftermath of the Canadian federal election.
Pete Hoekstra made his first statement as ambassador on Tuesday after presenting his letters of credence to Governor-General Mary Simon at Rideau Hall, enabling him to officially begin his duties as U.S. envoy in Canada.
Canada-U.S. relations have soured since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office in January. He targeted Canadian goods with tariffs and threatened to use economic force to annex Canada, saying this country could not exist without the support of the U.S.
Late last month, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mr. Trump agreed to begin comprehensive talks on a revised economic and security relationship after Canada’s April 28 vote. Mr. Carney’s Liberals were elected Monday to form government.
“We’ve got a big job ahead of us – reviewing and strengthening our strong trading partnership, securing our borders, confronting the deadly threat of fentanyl to our citizens, building our national security co-operation, and fulfilling our alliance commitments,” Mr. Hoekstra said in a statement Tuesday.
“We must also invest in defending North America economically and militarily for the next century.”
Separately, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told a media briefing in Washington that the U.S. government also wants Ottawa’s help in “countering the Chinese Communist Party influence in our hemisphere.”
Pete Hoekstra speaks as Michigan Republican Party chair during a Republican caucus in Grand Rapids, Mich., in March, 2024.Dieu-Nalio Chery/Reuters
The Trump administration also signalled an apparent climbdown on part of its auto-sector tariff campaign against foreign trading partners. Mr. Trump announced he would reduce the duties on imported parts used in U.S.-made cars and drop plans to stack metals and other tariffs on top of foreign auto levies.
The White House, however, indicated that Mr. Trump’s campaign to absorb Canada will continue. Spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a Tuesday statement that the Canadian election “does not affect President Trump’s plan to make Canada America’s cherished 51st state.”
At a briefing for right-wing influencers, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr. Trump was “truthing, all the way” and not trolling about taking over Canada. “And the Canadians would benefit greatly, let me tell you that.”
Mr. Trump spoke with Mr. Carney on Tuesday about the Canadian election, and the two men agreed to meet soon.
“President Trump congratulated Prime Minister Carney on his recent election,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a summary of the call.
“The leaders agreed on the importance of Canada and the United States working together – as independent, sovereign nations – for their mutual betterment. To that end, the leaders agreed to meet in person in the near future.”
Mr. Trump, as he left the White House on Tuesday afternoon to fly to a rally in Michigan marking 100 days in office, told reporters there was no update on negotiations with Canada.
Speaking later at the rally, the President inveighed against Canada and Mexico, saying the United States does not need automobiles made in foreign countries and accused Canada of taking part of the U.S. auto sector’s business.
Canada’s auto sector for many decades has been closely integrated with the U.S. industry. Mr. Trump has falsely alleged that the U.S. subsidizes Canada by as much as US$200-billion annually.
One top Liberal insider said the new Canadian government’s strategy includes a concerted effort to change the White House’s mind on continuing its trade war with Canada. This will entail inflicting economic pain through retaliatory tariffs, co-ordinating with other countries hit by Mr. Trump’s tariffs and building relationships with pro-trade U.S. politicians who can turn up the pressure inside the country.
The source pointed to Britain, France and Germany as countries that have signalled they are willing to work together on a united front against the tariffs. The Globe and Mail agreed not to identify the insider to learn details of Mr. Carney’s plan.
The Prime Minister is open to sitting down with Mr. Trump, the source said, but it was unclear at this point what such discussions would look like. The government has also kept open back channels to the Trump administration, including through Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
The President has so far not defined any specific demands from Canada aside from having the country become a U.S. state, which Mr. Carney and Canadians have roundly rejected.
Late last year, Mr. Trump pressed Canada to step up security at the border, which then-prime minister Justin Trudeau did, but the President imposed tariffs anyway.
Mr. Carney has said he will look to fortify the Canadian economy by removing internal trade barriers, building housing and directing money raised by reciprocal tariffs into programs to help industries hurt by the trade war.
The Prime Minister, in his victory speech after Monday’s election, also vowed to seek new trading relationships around the world to lessen Canadian dependence on the U.S. market, which currently consumes three-quarters of Canada’s exports.
“The system of open global trade anchored by the United States, a system that Canada has relied on since the Second World War, a system that, while not perfect, has helped deliver prosperity for our country for decades, is over,” he said. “We have to look out for ourselves.”
With a report from the Associated Press.
Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberals retained power in the federal election on Monday (April 28), but fell short of the majority government he had wanted to help him negotiate tariffs with U.S. President Donald Trump. Ryan Chang reports.
Reuters