US accuses Canada of election interference ahead of midterms

Notably, the United States has accused Canadian politicians of trying to influence its midterm elections, pointing to Canada's efforts to push back against President Donald Trump's tariff campaign.

Key points

• Among the politicians singled out in the fact sheet was Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Joly.
• The embassy additionally took problem with Joly's meetings with Democratic authorities in Boston and Chicago in September.
• Not only has the Republican leader triggered a trade war with Canada, but he has additionally repeatedly threatened to produce Canada a 51st state.
• The fact sheet comes a week after US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra remarked Washington was closely watching Canada for signs of interference ahead of the midterms.
• "Fundamentally, what I've done in the US is to attract investments, " she remarked to journalists on October 14.

In a fact sheet published on Wednesday, the US embassy accused Canada of being dismissive of its allegations of election interference.

"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, " the fact sheet reads.

Notably, the two countries have been locked in a trade war since the start of Trump's second term in 2025, with Canada responding to US tariffs with import taxes of its own.

But the US embassy identified public statements regarding the tariffs as being attempts to sway the November 3 midterm election.

Among the politicians singled out in the fact sheet was Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Joly. The fact sheet pointed to comments Joly created in August concerning responding to Trump's tariffs.

"We're additionally targeting products that will target states in the US. And so we're being wise and strategic to put political pressure, " Joly remarked at the time.

For context, the embassy additionally took problem with Joly's meetings with Democratic authorities in Boston and Chicago in September. When asked by a reporter what she thought might happen with regard to tariffs if Democrats won the midterms, she remarked, "That's exactly why I'm meeting so many governors and potential presidential candidates."

Joly has rejected the suggestion that her actions could amount to interference, saying Canada would never meddle in US elections. She remarked her meetings with US politicians, both Democratic and Republican, were concerning building Canada's economy.

As well as his government's advertising campaign against Trump's tariffs, rolled out last year, the embassy additionally pointed to Ontario Premier Doug Ford's calls for retaliatory measures on US products.

For context, the campaign, which featured clips of former US President Ronald Reagan criticising tariffs in a 1987 radio address, prompted Trump to call off trade discussions with Canada in October 2025.

While the embassy laid out a number of examples of Canadian office-holders trying to influence US trade policy, it didn't explain how those efforts amounted to interference.

Other instances of alleged election interference included Liberal MP Anthony Housefather saying he had campaigned in Florida on behalf of Democratic Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, ahead of her primary election in August.

Notably, the fact sheet additionally accused individual Canadians of illegally participating in US elections, naming 11 residents who had been charged or sentenced for voting between 2012 and 2024.

Meanwhile, the sheet did not, nevertheless, present any evidence linking those citizens to a Canadian administration effort to involve itself in US elections.

"All Canadians should refrain from attempting to participate in or influence U.S. Elections in any way, " the US embassy's statement remarked. "Americans decide America's elections."

Notably, the fact sheet comes a week after US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra remarked Washington was closely watching Canada for signs of interference ahead of the midterms.

"We're monitoring it, we're evaluating it and if some of it becomes election interference then America will respond to it, " Hoekstra remarked in a podcast interview on The Really Sizeable Show, according to The Canadian Press.

For context, the US and Canada have long been allies, but relations have frayed since Trump returned to office.

There have additionally been reports that separatist leaders from Alberta had sought backing from Trump administration authorities ahead of a failed referendum on the province's independence this week.

Ahead of Monday's provincial vote, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed reservations concerning potential US interference in the referendum, saying Canada projected foreign governments to stay out of its elections.

"Our expectation is, to be absolutely clear, on foreign governments, United States included, is we don't get ourselves involved in their elections, they don't get themselves involved in our elections, " he informed Global News.

As well as the office of Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Industry Minister Joly, al Jazeera has reached out to the Prime Minister's Office and Global Affairs Canada for comment.

For now, US accuses Canada of election interference ahead of midterms remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.