U.S. ambassador won’t commit to new Canada-U.S. trade deal by July 21

According to CTV News, Pete Hoekstra, the US ambassador to Canada, said that a new trade deal between the two countries is progressing and will ultimately benefit Canada, but he refused to commit to a deal by the July 21 deadline.

Trade talks between Canada and the US resumed this week, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said that if no agreement is reached by that date, he will take further trade retaliatory measures against the US.

Speaking to CTV News at the US ambassador’s residence in Ottawa, Hoekstra said:

“I’m not committing to a specific date. I don’t see this as a crisis. We’re working on things that will make trade freer, fairer and better for both countries.”

Asked whether Canada should expect some tariffs on its exports to the United States, Hoekstra stressed:
“President Trump has repeatedly said that every country will pay some tariffs. But ultimately, the deal that is reached will be good for both Canada and the United States.”

Trade relations between the two countries have been strained since the United States imposed the first round of tariffs on Canadian goods in February. After talks stalled last week over Canada’s digital services tax, the government has shelved the tax so that talks can continue. Mark Carney has called the withdrawal part of a larger deal.

“We’re not just going to send Canada a letter saying how much the tariffs are. Canada is one of our most important trading partners, and the agreement needs to be clear and unambiguous.”

He also spoke of the close and friendly relationship between Mark Carney and Donald Trump, adding:
“They send messages regularly and talk to each other. It’s healthy and beneficial for both countries.”

Responding to speculation about Canada’s annexation

In recent weeks, rumors and comments have been circulating about the possibility of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States, a topic that Donald Trump once again touched on in a television interview.
However, Hoekstra responded to the issue by saying:
“It’s more of a media fabrication. If Canadians want to talk about it, that’s their decision, but ultimately it’s a Canadian decision, not an American one.”

Joint Independence Day Celebration in Ottawa

The US ambassador also stressed the importance of close relations between the two countries on the eve of US Independence Day (July 4) at a ceremony attended by about 2,000 people in Ottawa, saying:
“There are always differences between friends, and that’s a good thing. "Friends should be able to challenge each other. But besides that, we have deep military, economic and human ties, and we celebrate these; on Canada Day and on American Independence Day."

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