U.S. ambassador to Canada disappointed by 'anti-American' rhetoric, 'elbows up'

HALIFAX — The U.S. ambassador to Canada says he doesn’t like hearing Canadians saying “elbows up.”

Pete Hoekstra made the remarks at a lunch event hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

The ambassador says the elbows up expression is anti-American.

Hoekstra also took aim at people who use the term “trade war” to describe economic tension between the two countries.

He says Canada would not have what he described as the best tariff rate in the world if the two countries were actually at war.

Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are inching toward a major review of the trilateral Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement due next year, with preparations for the talks taking place behind the scenes.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Wednesday it’s sad that the U.S. turned its back