Carney says U.S. claims of Canadian meddling have no merit

Prime Minister Mark Carney says there is “no merit” to American claims that Canadian politicians are trying to influence U.S. politics ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

“There is no merit to these claims,” Carney told reporters Friday in Istanbul. “I’m disappointed that their envoy sees that as his role, to make these suggestions.”

The U.S. embassy in Canada released a list on Wednesday of quotes from Canadian politicians that it said point to “plans to influence American politics,” The Canadian Press reported. The embassy cited the quotes as “fact” without context.

They include comments by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly about pressuring American businesses and targeting U.S. states, which addressed Canada’s response to American tariffs. Some of the claims date back to March 2025, when the first wave of U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs took effect. Another refers to the anti-tariff ad the Ontario government aired a year ago.

U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra said earlier this month that the Trump administration is watching Canadian politicians closely and told them to keep their “nose out” of American politics.

Global Affairs Canada told diplomats in a memo on Tuesday not to meet with or attend events with U.S. midterm candidates during a period of “heightened sensitivity,” as we reported Thursday. Carney suggested Friday that Canada gave that direction well before the embassy’s list appeared, in order to avoid “unsubstantiated allegations.”

“Our Global Affairs group, well in advance of these fact sheets and allegations, has been reminding everybody, be careful who you are even seen with physically in the same place,” he said. “We have a very deep diplomatic presence in the United States. We have lots of interaction with American companies, citizens, individuals, stakeholders more broadly. We’re very, very careful to not be seen to interfere.”

Carney spoke at the end of a visit to Turkey, where he and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to a partnership and the start of free trade talks.

Political tensions between Ottawa and Washington have risen since efforts to reach a deal on tariffs and other trade irritants collapsed at the last minute in August, the Canadian Press reported. Both countries have since imposed new rounds of tariffs on billions of dollars in goods.

Carney said Canada continues to engage with the Trump administration on trade. He said Canada is ready to return to the bargaining table when the United States is willing to negotiate in good faith, but he is not in a rush to strike a deal.

“If it has to be months from now or longer than that, or another administration before a proper deal comes into place, we will do that,” Carney said. Asked whether a deal was possible before the midterms, he replied: “It’s up to the United States. They’re a little difficult to predict.”

Global News, which carried the Canadian Press report, noted that Carney has consistently rebutted accusations of electoral interference.

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