November 25, 2025 • 6 mins
Jon Liedtke joined The Gene Valaitis Show on Niagara’s 610 CKTB to discuss:
- The US Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, demanded Canada purchase F-35 fighter jets to renew the USMCA trade deal
- This demand is harming Canada’s economy, causing job losses and disruptions to the 401 corridor
- The ambassador’s tactics are aggressive and his behaviour is unprofessional
- US President Trump’s focus on trade over diplomacy brings about these issues
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And whatever she talks, she almost runs out of breath
because she's talking so fast and she's so angry. And
Pete Hextra, the ambassador in Ottawa, he's the same guy. Yeah,
it's like these guys get up and take angry pills
every morning.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Well, I mean I think they're, you know, taking marching
orders from the top brass, which is the President of
the United States, who says we want to do trade
here and that's the end of the story. And you know,
quite frankly, I mean taking off the partisan lens that
we have as Canadians. There's nothing wrong with the United
States prioritizing trade access now putting on the partisan hat
(00:40):
right now as a windsor right. This is the worst
decision that we've ever seen. It's harming us, it's hurting us.
We've seen Brampton shutting down and shuddering their stillances plant.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
We've seen this all up and long the four to
one corridor. It's terrible.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
But now we've got the US ambassador that we purchase
the f thirty fives if we want to get a
trade deal, if we want and presumably if we want
to renew the USMCA. The terrible terrible phrasing, let's be honest.
(01:18):
But they're they're they're they're implicitly suggesting that if you
want to do the renewal of which happens in next year,
bend over. And that's a really big problem that we have.
And it's like, I mean, we're talking about hundreds of
thousands of workers up and down the four oh one
corridor and we kind of have to play the game
(01:41):
of the battered wife because it's better to be under
a shelter than not, I guess is the only analogy
I can get.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Yeah, well, you know he you know, with the fighter jets,
he's playing, you know, the gun to Canada's head, saying
you don't buy it. You're not going to get a
trade deal. You don't come into a country as a
diplomat and put a gun to your host country's heads.
And I don't understand that. And now you know, after
Ford ran those commercials in the US, Pete Huksbrow ran
into the trade representative for Ontario at a meeting up
(02:17):
in Ottawa, and people who saw their exchange was like
Hawkstra was just dropping the F bomb after f bomb
after f bomb and pointing at this guy putting his finger,
you know, in the guy's chest. This isn't how diplomacy works,
no diploma.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Diplomacy should be like you know, and behind closed doors.
I imagine with a handshake and a glass of like
eighteen year old whiskey or something like. That's what I
see when I see diplomacy. The British man in the
background that's taking notes and well they're a good chat.
That's excellent. Yes, yes, yes, I don't see it playing
(02:57):
out this way. But I mean, we've got a reality
TV show star who's the president of the free world,
and I guess we all have to play his game
and we're all just participants or viewers.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, how do we get rid of this guy? I'd
like him to go back home? But you know, yeah,
and I've said that many times before. I mean, it's
not going to happen. And I guess you know, when
Carney at the G twenty and South Abrica was asked
to be, you know, spoken to Trump lately and he says, oh,
who cares? I mean not just like throwing fire on
(03:36):
you know the Pete hwksper gat.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, Carney is like a really bad salesperson. He was
great when he ran for the office, and he defied
my expectations. I'll be honest, I thought he was just
gonna be like a stoic banker. But his personality now
is shining through, and his disdained ship, if I can say,
(04:01):
for the his his mutual counterparts and for those below him,
really shows and it really comes across. And I don't
understand what the motivation was for him to go out
of his way at the G twenty and say those words,
but like it's really stupid, this dumb move.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah. Well he also said I'm very busy. I'm very busy.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Oh of course, of course, naturally, how about he set
up his constituency office.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yeah exactly. That still hasn't happened. You know, you know,
you know I always say to people, you know, people
who say I'm busy, I'm really really busy. I always
say this to them. If it was really difficult to
be busy, nobody would be. So that's that's just a
lame excuse.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
My other thing is, could you imagine if the Canadian
ambassador to the United States was talking about the United
States as Hawkstra is talking about Canada. I mean, she
would be kicked out of the country. Trump would put
up with that.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
No second, absolutely not.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
But do we have do you do you have nukes? No,
we don't have any nukes.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Yeah that's what I thought. So I mean, I guess
we can't go swinging around. Uh you know the the
trouser belt, if you will.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
I wonder how many Christmas cards mister huckster is going
to be getting this December.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
How about this, jean you want to you want to
do a mutual joint Christmas card? You and I both
sign it and we say go after yourself.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
I'm all in. I love it. That'll be great.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I think you and I can affect foreign policy by
doing so.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Okay, send me a DOCU sign perfect. Let's get right
on that. Perfect. John. Always love talking to you. You're
You're one of a kind, and we'll talk to you
next Tuesday. Again.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Jeanie, you are the most beautiful person on the radio.
Thank you, and I can't I've never seen you so
that that speaks wonders.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Well, there you go. That's why I'm on the radio
face for radio. Okay, thanks a lot. John Aletke joins
us every Tuesday with his wild takes on everything happening.
We love having him on the show. He's a good guy. Okay.
A break for the ten o'clock
And whatever she talks, she almost runs out of breath
because she's talking so fast and she's so angry. And
Pete Hextra, the ambassador in Ottawa, he's the same guy. Yeah,
it's like these guys get up and take angry pills
every morning.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Well, I mean I think they're, you know, taking marching
orders from the top brass, which is the President of
the United States, who says we want to do trade
here and that's the end of the story. And you know,
quite frankly, I mean taking off the partisan lens that
we have as Canadians. There's nothing wrong with the United
States prioritizing trade access now putting on the partisan hat
(00:40):
right now as a windsor right. This is the worst
decision that we've ever seen. It's harming us, it's hurting us.
We've seen Brampton shutting down and shuddering their stillances plant.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
We've seen this all up and long the four to
one corridor. It's terrible.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
But now we've got the US ambassador that we purchase
the f thirty fives if we want to get a
trade deal, if we want and presumably if we want
to renew the USMCA. The terrible terrible phrasing, let's be honest.
(01:18):
But they're they're they're they're implicitly suggesting that if you
want to do the renewal of which happens in next year,
bend over. And that's a really big problem that we have.
And it's like, I mean, we're talking about hundreds of
thousands of workers up and down the four oh one
corridor and we kind of have to play the game
(01:41):
of the battered wife because it's better to be under
a shelter than not, I guess is the only analogy
I can get.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Yeah, well, you know he you know, with the fighter jets,
he's playing, you know, the gun to Canada's head, saying
you don't buy it. You're not going to get a
trade deal. You don't come into a country as a
diplomat and put a gun to your host country's heads.
And I don't understand that. And now you know, after
Ford ran those commercials in the US, Pete Huksbrow ran
into the trade representative for Ontario at a meeting up
(02:17):
in Ottawa, and people who saw their exchange was like
Hawkstra was just dropping the F bomb after f bomb
after f bomb and pointing at this guy putting his finger,
you know, in the guy's chest. This isn't how diplomacy works,
no diploma.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Diplomacy should be like you know, and behind closed doors.
I imagine with a handshake and a glass of like
eighteen year old whiskey or something like. That's what I
see when I see diplomacy. The British man in the
background that's taking notes and well they're a good chat.
That's excellent. Yes, yes, yes, I don't see it playing
(02:57):
out this way. But I mean, we've got a reality
TV show star who's the president of the free world,
and I guess we all have to play his game
and we're all just participants or viewers.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Yeah, how do we get rid of this guy? I'd
like him to go back home? But you know, yeah,
and I've said that many times before. I mean, it's
not going to happen. And I guess you know, when
Carney at the G twenty and South Abrica was asked
to be, you know, spoken to Trump lately and he says, oh,
who cares? I mean not just like throwing fire on
(03:36):
you know the Pete hwksper gat.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, Carney is like a really bad salesperson. He was
great when he ran for the office, and he defied
my expectations. I'll be honest, I thought he was just
gonna be like a stoic banker. But his personality now
is shining through, and his disdained ship, if I can say,
(04:01):
for the his his mutual counterparts and for those below him,
really shows and it really comes across. And I don't
understand what the motivation was for him to go out
of his way at the G twenty and say those words,
but like it's really stupid, this dumb move.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Yeah. Well he also said I'm very busy. I'm very busy.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Oh of course, of course, naturally, how about he set
up his constituency office.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yeah exactly. That still hasn't happened. You know, you know,
you know I always say to people, you know, people
who say I'm busy, I'm really really busy. I always
say this to them. If it was really difficult to
be busy, nobody would be. So that's that's just a
lame excuse.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
My other thing is, could you imagine if the Canadian
ambassador to the United States was talking about the United
States as Hawkstra is talking about Canada. I mean, she
would be kicked out of the country. Trump would put
up with that.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
No second, absolutely not.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
But do we have do you do you have nukes? No,
we don't have any nukes.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Yeah that's what I thought. So I mean, I guess
we can't go swinging around. Uh you know the the
trouser belt, if you will.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
I wonder how many Christmas cards mister huckster is going
to be getting this December.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
How about this, jean you want to you want to
do a mutual joint Christmas card? You and I both
sign it and we say go after yourself.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
I'm all in. I love it. That'll be great.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I think you and I can affect foreign policy by
doing so.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Okay, send me a DOCU sign perfect. Let's get right
on that. Perfect. John. Always love talking to you. You're
You're one of a kind, and we'll talk to you
next Tuesday. Again.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Jeanie, you are the most beautiful person on the radio.
Thank you, and I can't I've never seen you so
that that speaks wonders.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Well, there you go. That's why I'm on the radio
face for radio. Okay, thanks a lot. John Aletke joins
us every Tuesday with his wild takes on everything happening.
We love having him on the show. He's a good guy. Okay.
A break for the ten o'clock
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