The United States Embassy in Ottawa has accused Canadian politicians of attempting to influence the November 3 midterm elections, in a fact sheet titled "Monitoring Canadian Activities in U.S. Politics" released on Wednesday, October 21.
According to the BBC, the document alleges that the Canadian government "brushes off concerns about potential interference in U.S. elections, even as its ministers and premiers openly describe plans to influence American politics in official documents and public appearances." It singles out Industry Minister Mélanie Joly for her September meetings with Democratic officials in Boston and Chicago, for publicly discussing retaliatory tariffs targeting politically significant U.S. states, and for saying that is "exactly why I'm meeting so many governors and potential presidential candidates" when asked about the effect of a Democratic midterm win.
The fact sheet also cites Ontario Premier Doug Ford's push for tariffs on imports from states politically important to the current U.S. administration, Ontario's multimillion-dollar anti-tariff advertising campaign in the United States, and 11 cases of Canadians charged with illegally voting in U.S. elections between 2012 and 2026 — though it does not link those cases to Canada's government.
Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the allegation at a news conference on Wednesday, noting that the United States initiated the trade actions against Canada. "We've responded to those to protect Canadian jobs, to protect Canadian companies and develop our economy," he said. Ford said he had "no interest at all" in interfering in American elections, adding that American voters would decide the outcome of the midterms.
The clash comes amid a deepening trade dispute that has defined the neighbors' relationship during the second Trump administration. Carney was announcing a C$9 billion support package for businesses and workers hit by U.S. tariffs when the embassy's fact sheet surfaced. With both capitals framing their actions as defensive, the dispute shows how the tariff fight has moved from trade policy into the machinery of election-year politics — and how it will likely shape Ottawa's push to reduce its economic dependence on the United States over the next decade.