Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, expressed confusion over Canadian anger regarding comments about Canada potentially becoming the 51st state of the United States. His remarks were made during the 2025 National Manufacturing Conference in Ottawa, organized by Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME).

During a session that included a discussion with CME President and CEO Dennis Darby, Hoekstra opened with a light-hearted comment about a recent test of the emergency alert system in Canada. "This Canadian government, it is so nice of them to put out a national emergency that the U.S. ambassador is again speaking. Watch out!" he joked.

Later in the event, Hoekstra addressed the stalled trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S. He stated that the talks would "obviously" resume, but he was uncertain about the timeline. "The question is when," he said, adding that he had suggestions to help restart the discussions, though he acknowledged it would not be easy.

Hoekstra then acknowledged the sentiment he has encountered across Canada regarding the 51st state comments. "Here, I’ll just get myself in trouble," he said. "I go around the country and people will say, ‘Pete, you just don’t understand why we’re so mad about the 51st state.’ Yeah, you’re right. I don’t."

He shifted the focus to the U.S. perspective, particularly regarding recent pro-free-trade advertisements funded by Ontario and aired in U.S. markets. Hoekstra remarked, "No one can ever remember a circumstance where a foreign government came into the United States … targeting the president of the United States and his policies 10 days before an election and a couple of weeks before a Supreme Court case would be heard."

He was referring to upcoming state and municipal elections in the U.S. and a Supreme Court challenge related to President Donald Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs.

"I’m sorry," Hoekstra continued. "That does not happen in the United States of America. You do not come into America and start running political ads — government-funded political ads — and expect that there will be no consequences or reaction from the United States of America and the Trump administration."

He concluded by suggesting that if Canada intends to engage in U.S. electoral politics through such advertising, it should carefully consider whether this approach is the best way to achieve its objectives in the United States.