VideoU.S.–Canada
American ambassador Hoekstra accuses Ottawa of possible election interference; Joly hits back
With the November midterms weeks away, the dispute raises a sharp question: how far can Canada work directly with American governors and companies before it is seen as meddling.
Summary
American ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said on a Canadian podcast that Washington is closely watching Canadian activity and that some of it could be inferred as election interference, weeks before the November midterms. He pointed to an Ontario television ad and a remark he attributed to Mélanie Joly about targeting retaliatory tariffs in politically sensitive states. The U.S. Embassy in Canada then posted the clip on X.
The video places the dispute in a longer sequence. In fall 2025, an Ontario ad using Ronald Reagan's words against tariffs led Donald Trump to cut off trade talks with Canada. Peter Navarro later told Canadian lobbyists to "get the hell out" of the United States and warned against midterm interference. Joly replied that Canada would never do that and would never accept such interference being done to it.
The channel argues that Canada is simply doing what the European Union did in 2018, when it targeted Kentucky bourbon and Wisconsin motorcycles in response to American steel tariffs, and calls it trade policy. Joly's trips to Boston, Illinois and Florida aim to attract investment. Doug Ford told about 1,200 people in Toronto that the relationship with Washington has changed permanently.
Key points
- Hoekstra said some Canadian activity could be inferred as election interference and warned that America would respond if it became interference.
- The examples he cited were an Ontario ad and a tariff remark he attributed to Mélanie Joly, with no hacked servers or secret donations.
- In fall 2025, Ontario's Reagan anti-tariff ad led Trump to cut off trade talks with Canada.
- The U.S. Embassy in Canada posted the interview clip on X.
- Doug Ford told about 1,200 people at the Empire Club of Canada that the relationship with Washington has changed permanently.
- Canada held a full public inquiry into foreign interference in its own elections in 2024.
Questions answered
What did Pete Hoekstra say about Canada and election interference?
He said on a Canadian podcast that some Canadian activity could be inferred as election interference, telling Canada to "keep your nose out of American politics." He cited an Ontario ad and a remark he attributed to Mélanie Joly. He said America would respond if it becomes election interference.
How did Mélanie Joly respond to the interference accusation?
Joly said Canada would never do that, and that Canada would never accept that also being done to us. The video notes Canada held a full public inquiry into foreign interference in 2024. She says her U.S. trips aim to attract investment and hopes to announce American investments in Canada.
What is the Ontario ad at the centre of this dispute?
In fall 2025, the Ontario government paid to run a television ad in the United States criticizing American tariffs on Canadian goods. It used Ronald Reagan's own words against tariffs. The video says the ad led Donald Trump to cut off trade talks with Canada.
Prepared by the CanadaNext Editor with AI assistance from public reporting and CanadaNext's own videos. Sources are linked. How we work