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Election dispute deepens tensions between allies
The United States and Canada are trading accusations over alleged interference in the U.S. midterm elections, adding a new source of friction to an already strained relationship over tariffs.
The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa alleged on the 21st that several Canadian politicians had sought to influence American politics. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the accusation at a news conference later that day.
The embassy pointed in part to comments made in August by Canadian Industry Minister Mélanie Joly as Ottawa announced retaliatory tariffs aimed at the United States. Joly said Canada was acting strategically to apply “political pressure” in the U.S.
The embassy also cited Liberal lawmaker Anthony Housefather’s participation in a Democratic candidate’s campaign during a U.S. visit last summer. It further claimed that Canadians made up the second-largest group of foreign nationals prosecuted for illegal voting, citing U.S. Justice Department statistics.
Other Canadian officials named in connection with the allegations included Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Bernadette Jordan, Canada’s consul general in Boston. In a briefing document reported by Politico, the embassy said Canadians should refrain from attempting to participate in or influence U.S. elections, stressing that Americans alone should decide their outcomes.
Trump officials warn Ottawa
Senior Trump administration officials have publicly cautioned Canada against political activity in the United States. Peter Navarro, President Donald Trump’s senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, said at a Washington economic event last month that Canada had successfully lobbied the U.S. government in the past. He told Canadian representatives on K Street — shorthand for Washington’s lobbying industry — to leave the country.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra also said on a recent podcast that American officials were closely watching for signs that Canadian politicians were interfering in U.S. elections.
Canadian officials have characterized the accusations as an overreaction. After telling a rally on the 15th that Canada would reduce its economic dependence on the United States, Carney joked that he needed to be careful because Americans might consider the remark election interference, adding that they were “a little sensitive.”
Joly separately told reporters that Canadians would never engage in election interference and would not tolerate such conduct taking place in Canada. Ottawa continues to reject the allegations as the Trump administration presses its case.
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