Trump appoints ambassador to Canada as leaders call for a new trade deal

On November 22, 2024By Pranco

As President-elect Donald Trump named his nominee for United States ambassador to Canada, Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders are calling for a new trade deal.

On Wednesday, Trump said he will nominate former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra as his ambassador to Canada. Hoekstra served in Congress for 18 years representing Michigan and served two terms as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Under Trump, he was also ambassador of the United States to the Netherlands from 2018 to 2021.

Because the US and Canada share the world’s longest international border, the two countries are important trading partners. The North American Free Trade Agreement ended during the first Trump administration and was replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. That agreement will be renegotiated during Trump’s second term.

The agreement remained largely the same language as NAFTA, but allowed the U.S. to export more dairy products to Canada. In return, Canada could export peanuts, processed peanut products and a limited amount of products made with sugar to the US

Ontario Premier Doug Ford agreed Thursday that it is time for Canada to renegotiate the agreement.

“As everyone here knows, no partnership is more important to the economic success of Ontario and Canada than our close ties with the United States,” said Ford. “As we review the USMCA, our administration is committed to strengthening and growing our historic partnership. We continue to build relationships with our US counterparts at all levels of government and politics that deliver the message that we must reject protectionism and promote a ‘buy Can-AM’ approach. Because while free trade is essential for economic growth, free trade must be fair.”

Ford accused Mexico of becoming a backdoor for cars made in China, which it said is hurting production in the U.S. and Canada. Ford said he and other provincial leaders want Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to consider terminating the USMCA instead of a direct, one-for-one deal with the U.S.

“We must prioritize our deepest economic partnership by working directly with the U.S. on a bilateral free trade agreement that puts Canadian and American workers first, with separate talks for a bilateral agreement with Mexico,” Ford said.

Ford’s comments come as Trump has proposed massive tariffs on goods imported from China.

Trump has also said he would like to renegotiate the USMCA.

“There are always things you can do better. I have a clause that gives me the right to renegotiate (the USMCA). Who else would think of that except a businessman?” Trump previously told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo the 2024 elections. “We have been screwed by Mexico and by China and by Canada and by the European Union.”