EXCLUSIVE: Hunter Biden says future of Canada-U.S. relationship ‘up to Canadians’

Social media pays a premium for divisive political rhetoric, and that has damaged the U.S., Hunter Biden says.

OTTAWA — Hunter Biden says the ball is in Canada’s court when it comes to the state of the country’s relationship with the United States going forward.

Former U.S. president Joe Biden’s son is back in the spotlight, but this time, for his sometimes-brutal honesty and no-holds-barred social media presence, including social media posts about Canada.

There’s been a marked shift in the Canada-U.S. relationship since U.S. President Donald Trump launched his trade war on Canada last February. The rift has caused a significant drop in the number of Canadians travelling to the U.S., and has shifted focus at home to purchasing domestic products.

Prime Minister Mark Carney — who won last year’s election largely on his “elbows up” campaign and the promise of being the best person to handle Trump — also previously said the old relationship between the longtime neighbours and allies was over.

“I think that’s up to you,” Biden told CTV Question Period host Vassy Kapelos in an exclusive Canadian interview, when asked whether he believes the change in the relationship is permanent. “I think that’s up to Canadians.”

“What I mean by that is I think that Donald Trump has done more long-term damage to the status of our relationship than — and not only the relationship with Canada, but the relationship with all of our allies — than people fully realize,” Biden added.

“So at the end of the day, I hope that we elect someone that can heal and mend that relationship, but I think it’s going to take time, and I can understand why it is going to take time.”

Biden in his interview also discussed his recovery, his motivations for reclaiming his story, and why he believes Trump won another term.

You can watch Hunter Biden’s full interview on CTV Question Period in the video player at the top of this article.