U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra told a business audience in Bellevue, Washington, that President Donald Trump considers Canadians "mean and nasty" because some provinces have barred the sale of American alcohol and many Canadians are staying away from travel to the United States. Hoekstra said such measures “don’t send positive signals” of goodwill and cited them as the basis for the president’s characterization. The remarks were made during the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region Foundation summit, where the moderator had asked how cross-border tourism could rebound ahead of FIFA World Cup matches Vancouver and Seattle will co-host next year. Hoekstra added that he personally has no difficulty bringing U.S. liquor into Canada, drawing laughter from attendees. B.C. Premier David Eby, whose province is among those restricting U.S. alcohol after Washington imposed steep tariffs on Canadian goods, responded that the comments show Canadian boycotts are “having an impact” and urged residents to continue supporting domestic products and vacations. Statistics Canada data indicate cross-border car trips by Canadians fell 32% in March from a year earlier, while air travel declined 13.5%, the sharpest drop since the pandemic.