Canada’s relations with the United States have improved since it lifted

counter-tariffs

, but U.S. ambassador Pete Hoekstra says persistent anti-American rhetoric threatens potential trade deals in the works.

Speaking at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Hoekstra said federal Finance Minister

François-Philippe Champagne

‘s comments on Wednesday about how the U.S. “turned its back” on Canada by starting a trade war that is now forcing Ottawa to “reinvent” the national economy were unconstructive.

“I don’t think we turned our back on Canada,” he said.

Hoekstra’s response to Canada dropping its counter-tariffs was a single word: “Hallelujah,” but he said they should have never been imposed in the first place because the products were protected under the

Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

He also said the

Donald Trump

administration is still a reliable trading partner.

“It’s a totally invalid concern,” he said in response to a question after the event. “Who stuck with (CUSMA) and put no tariffs on (CUSMA) components just as the agreement that he signed? Who put tariffs on CUSMA products? The Canadians did, the Canadians did.”

The U.S., however, has implemented 50 per cent levies on Canadian exports of steel and aluminum products and 50 per cent on copper, levies it has applied on all countries.

Nevertheless, Hoekstra said trade war rhetoric isn’t helpful.

“That’s a dangerous place to go,” he said.

Both the U.S. and Canadian economies are taking a hit from U.S.-imposed tariffs, but Hoekstra stood by Trump’s tariff policy.

“It’s something that we believe the country needs to do to deliver on the priorities that the voters voted for in the election,” he said. “Prosperity for the American people; we wanted to improve the security and the safety of the American people.”

The ambassador said Canada still enjoys the lowest U.S. tariffs in the world and that Trump and

Prime Minister Mark Carney

have a good relationship and are communicating regularly.

Still, he criticized the move by many provinces to block American products such as alcohol and the dialling back of U.S. procurement contracts.

Canada and the U.S. had been negotiating a trade and economic agreement separate from CUSMA, which is also in the process of being reviewed, with formal mechanisms underway in all three countries ahead of the statutory joint review in 2026.

The U.S. Trade Representative on Wednesday kicked off 45 days of public consultations leading up to a public hearing in November, which will help inform the formal review of CUSMA scheduled for next July.

Hoekstra said U.S. companies being deprived of the Canadian market will have their voices heard in the process enshrined in the trade pact, which he said could hamper any new trade deal.

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  • U.S. launches CUSMA review process

He also had a veiled warning for politicians using anti-American rhetoric.

“If they believe telling Canadians not to travel to America and not to buy American alcohol … that is for the Canadians to develop the tone and tenor that they believe will best move negotiations forward,” he said.

• Email: arankin@postmedia.com