The U.S. does not “need” any cars made in Ontario, Ambassador Pete Hoekstra said Thursday, but might end up wanting them if Canada put on its “sales cap” in negotiations. (The Logic)

Talking point: “They can make a very, very compelling case that if America needs a single car coming in the United States from somewhere else in the world, the best place to get that car from is Canada,” Hoekstra said at a U.S.-Canada Summit in Toronto. The auto sector in both countries is “a thoroughly integrated ecosystem” with similar labour forces, similar standards and pay scales, he said as he listed reasons to be optimistic about the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, which President Donald Trump has threatened not to renew. Hoekstra said the U.S. wants to reshore manufacturing, but expects some of that business to land on this side of the border. “It’s not a threat to Canada,” he said. “It’s an invitation to partner.” Meanwhile, the ribbon cutting for the new bridge linking Windsor, Ont., and Detroit planned for Friday has been delayed. Trump had said previously he would block the bridge’s opening.