OTTAWA - Canadian diplomats were directed this week not to meet with or attend events with candidates in the U.S. midterm elections.
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diplomats → direct → elections
Glen Linder, assistant deputy minister for the Americas at Global Affairs Canada, sent a memo midday Tuesday to members of the foreign service in the United States.
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Linder → send → States
The memo, which was obtained by The Canadian Press, says if diplomats find themselves “in the same physical space” as a candidate or elected official, they should avoid being photographed or having their name or position appear in any public communications materials.
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name → obtain → materials
It says meetings or events with other elected officials who aren’t candidates in the midterms can happen if necessary, but they should be discussed in advance with senior officials.
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they → say → officials
The memo says these instructions are similar to those in place during election periods in Canada, when public servants are expected to avoid contact with elected officials except in exceptional circumstances.
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servants → say → circumstances
“Especially in view of heightened sensitivity, we need to take our obligation of non-partisanship extremely seriously and take a very risk-averse approach,” says the memo.
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memo → need → approach
The memo comes as the Trump administration accuses Canadian politicians of interfering in American elections.
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administration → come → elections
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford both disputed claims of Canadian interference in the U.S. midterms on Wednesday, after the U.S. embassy in Canada released a list of quotes from Canadian politicians which it claims indicate “plans to influence American politics.”
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it → dispute → politics
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is quoted five times in the list the embassy released Wednesday.
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embassy → quote → list
It includes quotes offered without context about pressuring American businesses and targeting U.S. states through counter-tariffs.
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It → include → tariffs
Joly made the comments while addressing Canada’s response to U.S.-imposed tariffs.
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Joly → make → tariffs
In a news conference on Parliament Hill on Wednesday, Carney — flanked by Joly — pointed out that the United States initiated trade actions against Canada.
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States → flank → Canada
“All of our actions are in the interests of Canadian workers, Canadian families and the future of this economy,” Carney told reporters after announcing a $9 billion aid package in response to U.S. tariffs.
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Carney → tell → tariffs
Ford, who is also quoted in the U.S. embassy release, said he has “no interest at all” in interfering in American elections.
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he → quote → elections
“I’ll tell you what the American people want.
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people → tell → what
They want certainty, they want stability,” Ford said, adding he spent 20 years in the United States and “loves the American people.”
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he → want → people
Americans head to the polls on Nov. 3 for midterm elections that could end Republican control of Congress.
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that → head → Congress
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said earlier this month American officials are “closely watching” Canadian politicians for signs of election interference.
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officials → say → interference
During an interview on The Really Big Show podcast released on Oct. 14, Hoekstra said political ads run by the province of Ontario last year could be interpreted as political interference.
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ads → release → interference
U.S. President Donald Trump ended trade talks with Canada in October 2025 after Ontario aired an ad during the World Series using clips of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs and supporting free trade.
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Ontario → end → trade
Hoekstra also cited recent comments by Joly and former prime minister Justin Trudeau and suggested they also could amount to interference.
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they → cite → interference
Hoekstra went on to warn Canadian politicians to keep their “nose out” of American politics in the weeks before the midterm elections.
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Hoekstra → go → elections
In the interview, Hoekstra said Joly made comments about targeting retaliatory tariffs at “politically sensitive states.”
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Joly → say → states
Joly pushed back last week, telling reporters Canada would never engage in election interference and would “never accept that also being done to us in Canada.”
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that → push → Canada
Joly said she has been to the U.S. in recent months and has met with Democrats and Republicans.
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she → say → Democrats
“Fundamentally, what I’ve done in the U.S. is to attract investments,” she said.
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she → do → investments
“I think I’ll be able to have good news of investments by different American companies to Canada.
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I → think → Canada
And that’s exactly what I’m doing and that will continue to be my strategy in the U.S. and also around the world.”
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that → ’ → world
Hoekstra said if any actions by Canadians end up amounting to election interference, the United States will respond.
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States → say → interference
Wednesday’s post from the embassy ended by saying “Americans decide America’s elections.”
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Americans → end → elections
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.
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report → publish → Press
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