Doug Ford demands apology from US ambassador after anti-tariff

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called on Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, to apologize for using derogatory language against the province's trade representative.

Two Ontario government sources told CTV News that Hoekstra lashed out at Ontario Trade Representative David Patterson at an event in Ottawa on Monday. The sources said the language included derogatory and profane language about Ontario's anti-tariff advertising aimed at American audiences.

"Pete, you should call Dave and apologize, that's easy," Ford said at an unrelated news conference Wednesday. "You know, the cheese slipped off the cracker. I understand. You're upset, but call the guy because you're a good person, and Dave is a supporter of mine."

He praised both and urged them to "clear up the misunderstanding."

When asked more about the situation, he described the behavior as “unacceptable” and “unbecoming of an ambassador,” and said Hoekstra “can call me, yell and scream at me. I can get through to the best of them.”

He said the two have a friendly relationship and are even betting on the World Series.

The “unpleasant exchange” comes after a tumultuous week in which U.S. President Donald Trump broke off trade talks with Canada and then threatened to impose an additional 10 percent tax on Canadian goods, expressing displeasure over an ad that featured former President Ronald Reagan talking about the harms of protectionism.

Ford defended the ad this week, saying that trade talks between Canada and the U.S. have done nothing to protect Ontario’s auto sector, which has lost jobs due to Trump’s tariffs. He agreed to stop the ad starting Monday, but allowed it to run over the weekend during the World Series.

He defended the ad campaign again on Wednesday.

“When someone is attacking your province, your country, constantly saying this is the 51st state, trying to take our auto jobs to America, trying to take our manufacturing, life sciences jobs, trying to take our steel jobs — what do they expect from me? Just sit back and toss and turn like everyone else in the world?” Ford said.

“I’m going to fight like I’ve never fought before. I said during the election, I’m going to protect the people, and I’m going to use every weapon I have to protect the people of Ontario and Canada. So, what does he expect?”

Ford made his latest comments during a press conference with members of the Webiqui First Nation on Wednesday, announcing an agreement to move forward on building a supply route to facilitate mining in the Ring of Fire. It’s an initiative that has been accelerated by the trade war.

Ford also said he was with Prime Minister Mark Carney and his chief of staff when he saw the ad before it aired, but declined to elaborate on the details of their conversation.