Canadian diplomats working in the United States have been ordered to stay away from candidates in the midterm congressional elections and not attract unnecessary attention to themselves to avoid accusations from the Donald Trump administration of political interference.
Bloomberg writes about this, citing sources.
In particular, Canadian officials were sent written instructions prohibiting them from meeting with candidates in the midterm elections or even being in the same building with them without special permission. At the same time, diplomats can continue to hold other meetings and discuss business issues with sitting American lawmakers who are not running in the elections, as needed.
There are nearly 500 Canadian diplomatic staff in the United States. They represent the country at the embassy in Washington and 12 consulates in cities including Detroit, Los Angeles, Dallas and Atlanta. The restrictions for them will be in place until midterm elections on November 3.
The instructions for Canadian diplomats appeared shortly before the US Embassy in Canada published a "fact sheet" accusing Canada of trying to influence the election results.
- A trade conflict is ongoing between Canada and the United States. Canada is seeking to reduce its dependence on the United States, which accounts for about 70% of its exports, by deepening economic and security ties with Europe.
- In early September, Donald Trump imposed new tariffs and import restrictions — this was preceded by fruitless trade talks. The US president has also repeatedly said that he wants to turn Canada into a part of the United States, calling it a "great idea".
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