Scott Anderson, MP for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee, has a message for Pete Hegseth: “Canadians and Americans should have no problem with each other, but I have a problem with you.”
Anderson’s comments come in response to the U.S. defense secretary’s attempt to mock the Canadian military online by posting a picture of Cadet officers on X.
“You, sir, are the Secretary of War for the strongest nation on earth, and with that title comes a level of responsibility and decorum,” Anderson said.
“You have chosen to set both aside and insult two female Canadian non-combatants and to intentionally shame them before millions. You should be ashamed.”
On Tuesday, Hegseth posted an image from the Cadet Training Centre in Vernon, depicting two young women in uniform with the caption “this is real” alongside a Canadian flag.
The Pentagon says it is standing behind the post, as the Trump administration continues to denigrate Canada’s armed forces.
The online response to Hegseth’s post was filled with remarks belittling the physical appearance of the cadets, but it also triggered massive backlash from Canadians.
Some people posted that it was unfair for Hegseth to target the youth program in an attempt to disparage the Canada’s military, and others criticized the U.S. defense secretary for insulting women serving in the cadet program.
When asked about the backlash, Pentagon deputy press secretary Jacob Bliss said, “the X post speaks for itself.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in Ottawa Tuesday that comments from Trump administration officials maligning Canada’s military were “beneath their office.”
The post comes amid increased tensions between Canada and the United States after trade talks broke down last month.
Anderson’s post points out that Canadians and Americans have coexisted peacefully for more than 200 years, and “there is no reason we can’t do so forever.”
“Our economies, our continental defence, and our cultures are irretrievably intertwined, and yet we are two distinct nations.
However, he says, he takes exception to Hegseth’s “cheap shot” at women and children in his riding.
“Next time you want to take a crack at a Canadian, I’m right here!
Anderson ends his post with the caption “this is real” next to a Canadian flag, in reference to the caption on Hegseth’s post.
— With files from The Canadian Press