Pete Hoekstra

I’m trying to tell Canadians and give them an insight into exactly what the president of the United States thinks.

I think that’s my job.

As long as the president of the United States think I’m doing a good job, I’ll be here.

I thought the Ontario ad campaign was outrageous, calling it the first time in the U.S.’s 250-year history that a foreign government has tried to influence the outcome of upcoming elections.

Compared to a provincial government and Canadian taxpayers running (political) ads in the United States of America? You’re equating those two? C’mon, that’s not even close!

You get calls and request to meet with folks and… if they’re people that are working on issues that may have an impact on U.S. relations, there’s a good chance we’ll meet with them, just to get some kind of perspective.

If (the referendum) is going to be influenced by governments, it’s going to be influenced by the government of Alberta and by the federal government, and maybe the other provinces, but not by the United States government.

The vote that’s going to happen in October is a decision for the people of Alberta.

Probably the region that can make the most compelling case for supplying more oil to the United States would be Saskatchewan and Alberta.

We have found over the last couple of decades that one of the best places in the world to get oil from is Canada.

This relationship is so critical.

We want oil. We need oil.

Not taking the president of the United States serious — do that at your own risk.

If the pollution is so bad that it’s dangerous to the players or it’s dangerous to the fans, the first person to say don’t hold the game will be the President of the United States.

Both the U.S. and Canadian governments look forward to getting the bridge open, but have recognized that there are some issues that are outstanding that need to be ironed out.

We have a bridge that has come in significantly over budget and has come in significantly later than originally forecast. That has changed the business model.

This anniversary is also a launch pad to look toward a future where, under President Trump’s leadership, we are forging new partnerships, championing innovation, and defining a new era of diplomacy.

Canadians get upset about a number of things.

I’m not going to get a directive, I don’t believe, from the President of the United States, from our Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, that says, ‘Pete, go out there and do what you can to advocate for, secession or for the people of…

I think at this point in time, we’ve made it very clear we are not going to take a position on that.

That’s the president’s call.

No, we’re not meeting with the separatists and strategizing this at all.

We’re going to get over this. We’re going to get through it.

There’s maybe been some progress, but not the significant amount of progress that says, ‘OK, we know exactly where we’re going, now let’s fill out the details'