By Sumayya
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford both disagreed with the idea that Canada is interfering in the U.S. midterm elections. They spoke out after the U.S. embassy in Canada shared a list of statements from Canadian politicians. The embassy claims these quotes show “plans to influence American politics.”
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is quoted five times on the list that the embassy shared on Wednesday. The list includes quotes without their full background about pressuring American companies and targeting U.S. states with counter-tariffs. Joly originally made these comments when talking about how Canada would respond to tariffs placed by the U.S.
The Canadian Press asked Joly for a comment, but she was not available to speak. On Wednesday, during a press conference on Parliament Hill, Carney stood next to Joly and answered a question about the U.S. list. He pointed out that the United States was the one that started the trade actions against Canada.
“All of our actions are in the interests of Canadian workers, Canadian families and the future of this economy,” Carney told reporters. He said this after announcing a $9 billion aid package to help handle the U.S. tariffs.
Ford, who is also quoted in the U.S. embassy’s list, said he has “no interest at all” in messing with American elections.
“I’ll tell you what the American people want. They want certainty, they want stability,” Ford said. He noted that he lived in the United States for 20 years and “loves the American people.”
“We’re going to focus on what we can do here in Ontario and in Canada to make sure we protect our economy, protect the people and protect communities,” Ford added. “That’s what we’re going to focus on, and the people of the United States will make that determination in the midterms.”
Americans will go to vote on Nov. 3 for midterm elections. These votes could end the Republican control over Congress. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said earlier this month that American officials are “closely watching” Canadian politicians for any signs of election interference.
During an interview on The Really Big Show podcast released on Oct. 14, Hoekstra said that political advertisements broadcasted by the province of Ontario last year could be seen as political interference.
U.S. President Donald Trump stopped trade talks with Canada in October 2025. This happened after Ontario played a commercial during the World Series. The commercial used video clips of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs and supporting free trade.
Hoekstra also pointed to recent comments made by Joly and former prime minister Justin Trudeau. He suggested that their words could also count as interference. Hoekstra went on to warn Canadian politicians to keep their “nose out” of American politics in the weeks leading up to the midterm elections.
Trudeau had criticized the Trump administration during a talk at Brown University on Sept. 22.
“There is a pattern here of doing things that are driving up prices for your consumers and not necessarily making anything better for America, by fighting with one of your oldest and best allies,” Trudeau said during that event.
In his interview, Hoekstra said Joly made comments about aiming payback tariffs at “politically sensitive states.” Joly argued against this last week, telling reporters that Canada would never take part in election interference. She also said Canada would “never accept that also being done to us in Canada.”
Joly mentioned that she has visited the U.S. in recent months and has met with both Democrats and Republicans.
“Fundamentally, what I’ve done in the U.S. is to attract investments,” she explained. “I think I’ll be able to have good news of investments by different American companies to 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.”
Hoekstra warned that if any actions by Canadians end up being seen as election interference, the United States will take action in response.
Wednesday’s message from the embassy finished by stating, “Americans decide America’s elections.”
