U.S. ambassador warns Canada to keep 'nose out' of American elections
Pete Hoekstra said Ontario ads and comments from Joly and Trudeau could be seen as interference ahead of the U.S. midterms.
OTTAWA — U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra says American officials are “closely watching” Canadian politicians for signs of election interference.
During a recent interview on the “The Really Big Show” podcast, Hoekstra said political ads run by the province of Ontario last year could be interpreted as political interference.
He also cited recent comments by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly and former prime minister Justin Trudeau and suggested they also could amount to interference.
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Hoekstra went on to warn Canadian politicians to keep their “nose out” of American politics in the weeks before the midterm elections.
He said that if any actions end up amounting to election interference, the United States will respond.
What did the ambassador say about specific Canadian actions?
Hoekstra pointed to political ads run by the province of Ontario last year as an example of something that could be interpreted as political interference.
He also cited recent comments by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly and former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Hoekstra suggested these comments could also amount to interference.
He delivered a direct warning to Canadian politicians to keep their “nose out” of American politics in the weeks before the midterm elections.
“If any actions end up amounting to election interference, the United States will respond,” Hoekstra said.
What is the current political context in the United States?
The president has been actively campaigning in battleground states ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
These elections could end Republican control over Congress.
Hoekstra’s comments come as the U.S. political season intensifies in the final weeks before the vote.
How did Industry Minister Mélanie Joly respond?
At a fireside chat on National Defence hosted by the Globe and Mail on Wednesday, Joly addressed the ambassador's remarks.
“We won’t get involved in internal politics in this country, we don’t want them to,” Joly said.
She said she doesn’t need to answer to the U.S. ambassador’s comments.
Has election interference been a recent issue in Canadian politics?
In late September, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette alleged U.S. interference in the provincial election.
Nosy Mag reported that Fréchette said she had contacted CSIS and wanted a meeting with the prime minister after reports of American efforts to support sovereigntists.
Advance polls for the Quebec election opened on Sept. 27 and 28 ahead of the Oct. 5 general election.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2026.
With files from The Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail and CityNews