U.S. Ambassador to Canada blames Canada for lack of progress related to renegotiation of CUSMA…
He also tries to reframe the Gordie Howe Bridge impasse…
Hoekstra says no ‘significant progress’ in 14 months of trade negotiations, but US to keep talking
CBC/Radio-Canada July 3, 2026
The U.S. envoy to Canada says 14 months of trade talk between Canada and the Trump administration has resolved few issues, but he insists the Americans will keep talking in the hopes of striking an agreement on the future of CUSMA, as well as settling other issues.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra made the remarks on CBC’s Ottawa Morning, where he was asked by host Rebecca Zandbergen how far apart he believes Canada and the United States are on settling the trade irritants that are frustrating a renewal of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.
“I think we have a ways to go yet,” he said. “We’re going to continue talking in July and August and we’ll just keep going through the process and see if we can iron these things out.”
“If not, then, we’ll keep talking. Hopefully on a number of these issues we reach resolution sooner rather than later, but it’s already taken 14 months and we haven’t seen significant progress,” Hoekstra said.
The Trump administration announced Wednesday that the U.S. will not join Canada and Mexico in extending the free trade deal between the three countries that Trump signed in his first term.
Despite that announcement, the deal remains in effect while the negotiations between the countries continue. That’s because the deal remains in effect for another 10 years, with annual reviews.
That could change if the U.S. issues an official six-month notice of withdrawal, something Trump has stopped short of threatening to do.
See full article Hoekstra says no ‘significant progress’ in 14 months of trade negotiations, but U.S. to keep talking | CBC News
Hoekstra’s comments on Gordie Howe bridge ‘a punch in the face’, says ex-Harper communications chief
Ellie Hutchings, National Post July 3, 2026
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra’s claim that Canada paying to construct the Gordie Howe International Bridge is a “big myth” has been branded “a punch in the face” by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s director of communications.
Andrew MacDougall, who held the role when the Canada-Michigan Crossing Agreement was signed in June 2012, told National Post in an interview that the Trump administration “has shown time and time again that it will punch its friends in the face” in response to the ambassador’s comments.
Hoekstra made the remarks during a wide-ranging interview about Canada-U.S. trade on the July 2 edition of The Food Professor podcast . Canada footing the bill for the bridge “ is the big myth that is out there ,” he said. “I think it’s important that people realize this, okay? Because I hear it all the time. What does America have to do with this? We paid for the bridge. It’s our bridge. Just open it.”
While Hoekstra acknowledged that Canada loaned the bridge authority $7 billion for the construction, he said that as the bridge generates revenue, the cost will be paid back. “The bridge will actually be paid for by the folks who are using the bridge. It will not be paid for by the Canadian government. So, Canada put the money up front, but at the end of the day, the expectation is that there will be a ‘use tax’ that will pay for the bridge.”
See full article Hoekstra’s comments on Gordie Howe bridge ‘a punch in the face’, says ex-Harper communications chief
Leave a Reply