Claims that Canada is interfering in U.S. midterms have 'no merit,' Carney says

Prime Minister Mark Carney is pushing back on the latest round of allegations that Canada could be interfering in the U.S. midterm elections.

Prime minister said he's 'disappointed' U.S ambassador making suggestions that Canada is meddling in election

Darren Major · CBC News

· Posted: Oct 23, 2026 10:03 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

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Prime Minister Mark Carney is pushing back on the latest round of allegations that Canada could be interfering in the U.S. midterm elections.

"There is no merit to these claims, so I'll call it out that way," Carney told reporters during a news conference in Istanbul on Friday.

U.S. officials have in recent weeks warned against what they describe as potential Canadian interference ahead of their Nov. 3 midterm elections.

Carney singled out U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra in his comments on Friday.

"I'm disappointed that their envoy sees that as his role, to make these suggestions," the prime minister says.

The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa released a "fact sheet" on Wednesday arguing that the federal government is brushing off concerns about "potential interference in U.S. elections" after Carney and other Canadian politicians dismissed previous suggestions that Canadian officials are trying to influence the vote outcome.

WATCH | 'No merit' to suggestion Canadian politicians interfering in U.S. election, Carney says:

'No merit' to suggestion Canadian politicians interfering in U.S. election, Carney says

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Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking from Istanbul on Friday, says there are deep diplomatic ties between Canada and the U.S., and engagement happens no matter the timing, including during elections. 'We have no intention to interfere' with their democratic processes, Carney said.

Hoekstra said during an interview on The Really Big Show podcast last week that he was "monitoring" for signs of Canada trying to meddle in the U.S. midterms. Those comments followed Peter Navarro, a top trade adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, issuing a warning against Canada not to "interfere in our elections."

Wednesday's embassy release listed a number of instances that it said could amount to "potential" interference, including government officials meeting with Democratic representatives in recent months.

Carney suggested that those activities were nothing more than regular diplomatic activities.

"We have a very deep diplomatic presence in the United States. We have lots of interaction with American companies, citizens, individuals, stakeholders," he said.

"As a country, Canada is very, very careful to not be seen to interfere in the democratic process."

• Canadian diplomats based in U.S. advised to avoid appearing with midterm candidates

• Canadians caught up in Trump voter fraud crackdown as U.S. accuses Canada of election interference

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) issued advice to all embassy and consulate staff to avoid appearing with U.S. midterm candidates, Bloomberg reported Friday, which was later confirmed by CBC News.

Carney said those notices were issued "well in advance" of the U.S. Embassy's release.

When asked if the Trump administration might blame Canada for a poor midterm result and slap more tariffs on Canadian exports, the prime minister said he doesn't "see that coming to pass."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darren Major is a senior writer for CBC's parliamentary bureau in Ottawa. He previously worked as a digital reporter for CBC Ottawa and a producer for CBC's Power & Politics. He holds a master's degree in journalism and a bachelor's degree in public affairs and policy management, both from Carleton University. He also holds a master's degree in arts from Queen's University. He can be reached at darren.major@cbc.ca.