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

The U.S. ambassador to Canada took aim at those who use the term “trade war” to describe economic tension between the two countries at an event in Halifax Thursday, saying he was frustrated by the “elbows up” rhetoric.

Pete Hoekstra made the remarks at a luncheon hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce in the city’s downtown.

“I’m disappointed that I came to Canada, a Canada that (where) it is very, very difficult to find Canadians who are passionate about the American-Canadian relationship. You ran a campaign where it was anti-American. ‘Elbows up.’ … It was an anti-American campaign. That has continued. That’s disappointing,” he said.

Prime Minister Mark Carney used the “elbows up” expression frequently on the election campaign trail last spring, including in a video he filmed with