2 publishers · first seen Wed, 28 Oct 2026 20:15 UTC · updated Thu, 29 Oct 2026 04:05 UTC
US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra has suggested Canada could face consequences if Republicans perform poorly in next week's midterm elections, according to reports of a closed-door meeting with business leaders. Prime Minister Mark Carney responded by saying there is no merit to claims of Canadian interference in US politics and expressed disappointment over Hoekstra's remarks. The ambassador, who comes from Michigan, has previously described Canada's 2025 federal election as 'anti-American' and called Trump's suggestion of making Canada the 51st US state a 'sign of affection'.
Canada and the US have been engaged in a tariff dispute, with Ottawa retaliating against US tariffs by targeting goods from states reliant on cross-border trade. Hoekstra accused Canadian officials of election interference, urging Canadians to 'keep your nose out of American politics', while the US embassy denied he said Canada would be blamed for Republican losses. A House of Commons petition signed by over 225,000 Canadians called for Hoekstra's expulsion, citing diplomatic protocol violations. Canada's industry minister, Mélanie Joly, rejected the interference claims, stating Canada would never accept such accusations.
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