U.S. Ambassador’s foul-mouthed outburst at Ontario trade official shakes Ottawa event

The normally cordial atmosphere of a Canada-U.S. business gathering turned tense Monday night when U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra allegedly launched into a profanity-laced tirade at Ontario’s trade representative, David Paterson, according to multiple witnesses. The outburst occurred during the Canadian American Business Council’s “State of the Relationship” event at Ottawa’s National Gallery of Canada — a high-profile networking occasion attended by cabinet ministers, diplomats, and business leaders, including Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc.

Witnesses told the media that Hoekstra appeared furious over Ontario’s recent anti-tariff television ad campaign in the United States, which has angered President Donald Trump and led to a suspension of trade talks with Canada. During the exchange, Hoekstra reportedly used several expletives and referred to Ontario Premier Doug Ford by name. Following Ontario’s ad — featuring the voice of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan — Trump abruptly ended trade negotiations and threatened to impose a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian goods.

The U.S. Embassy declined to comment on the incident. The episode has further strained the mood surrounding Canada’s efforts to secure tariff relief, which have stalled in recent weeks.
Known for his blunt approach, Hoekstra has previously drawn controversy for calling Canada’s retaliatory tariffs “nasty” and describing Trump’s jabs about Canada becoming the “51st state” as a “term of endearment.” His latest remarks are now reverberating through diplomatic circles in both Ottawa and Washington