Canadians ‘don’t understand’ seriousness of Ontario anti-Trump ad: Hoekstra

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra says the Ontario government's ad targeting U.S. President Donald Trump set a 'new precedent.'

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra is once again slamming the Ontario ad that he says ended trade negotiations with the United States, accusing Canada of inserting itself into American politics and creating a “new precedent” that Washington won’t ignore.

Speaking at the National Manufacturing Conference in Ottawa on Tuesday, Hoekstra dismissed suggestions that the fallout is overblown, saying Canadians “don’t understand” the seriousness of what happened.

“I’ve been in this business for a while … no one can ever remember a (similar) circumstance where a foreign government came into the United States” with political advertising targeting the president.

The ad, paid for by the Ontario government and later pulled, featured the voice of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. It aired days before U.S. midterm elections and ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court hearing on the legality of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Hoekstra said the distinction between Ontario and the federal government is irrelevant in Washington’s eyes.

“We don’t go through that slicing and dicing,” he said. “You do not come into America and start government-funded political ads and expect that there (won’t) be consequences or reaction.”

He also took a swipe at the ad’s reported cost, saying Ontario spent $54 million — “American dollars, so real money.” He quickly added that it was “just a joke.”

Hoekstra suggested Canada should “seriously consider” whether participating in U.S. electoral politics, “through advertising targeting the president of the United States and his policies,” is “the best way to achieve your objectives.”

The remarks build on warnings Hoekstra delivered last month, when he said Canada had “burned the bridges” in the trade relationship and that talks.

• ‘Canada burned the bridges’: U.S. ambassador doubts tariff deal feasible before new year

“We have stopped negotiations with Canada,” Hoekstra told the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada on Oct. 27, adding he saw “no way” an agreement could be reached before American Thanksgiving.

“Canada burnt the bridges with America,” he said. “Donald Trump did not slam the door.”

His comments followed Trump’s announcement that he was terminating trade talks with Canada and increasing levies on Canadian goods by 10 per cent in response to the Ontario ad.

“Donald Trump could do the only thing that a leader of a sovereign nation could do when a neighbour, another sovereign nation, decided to interject itself into American politics,” Hoekstra said. “Canada slammed that door shut all by itself.”

With files from CTV News’ Spencer Van Dyke