U.S. ambassador Pete Hoekstra says Canada's economic hopes align with Trump's goals

The American ambassador to Canada says U.S. President Donald Trump's goal of enhancing American power aligns with Ottawa's aim of becoming the fastest-growing G7 economy.

Ambassador Pete Hoekstra also says frequent talks between Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney show how much Washington is invested in boosting both countries' economic growth — even though he isn't sure how often the two leaders speak.

Hoekstra tells The Canadian Press the important thing is that the exchanges between Carney and Trump happen frequently and aren't leaked to media.

Hoekstra says Canada and the U.S. can partner more on producing cars and challenging China's growing share of the global auto market — despite Trump's repeated claim that America doesn't need Canadian lumber or energy and doesn't want Canadian-built cars.

The ambassador insists there is "absolutely no discrepancy" between his focus on win-win partnerships and Trump's tariffs and rhetoric.

Hoekstra isn't offering a timeline for trade talks as discussions continue between Ottawa and Washington on tariffs and a possible early start to a review of the North American trade deal this fall.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang