US ambassador suggests Trump could blame Canada if midterms don’t go his way

The U. S. ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, is under fire after CTV News reported that he told business leaders in a closed meeting that Democratic wins in tight races, Maine and Michigan among them, could worsen conditions for Canada, since Donald Trump might pin the losses on Ottawa. The comments came days before the midterm elections, amid a long tariff war between the two countries. The U. S. embassy rejects that account, saying the remarks were grossly taken out of context and that Americans will decide their own elections on issues that matter to them, according to The Guardian.

Hoekstra has also alleged that Canadian officials meddle in U. S. politics, citing Canadian politicians who criticized tariffs in American media and an Ontario anti-tariff ad shown on U. S. television. Prime Minister Mark Carney said he found the framing of the blame claim curious, saw no merit in the interference allegations, and was disappointed that an envoy would see such suggestions as his job. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly responded that Canada holds itself to a standard of non-interference and would not tolerate it being applied to Canadians.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →