An advertisement in a Minnesota newspaper mistakenly pictures Alberta politician Dave Hancock.
It comes as little surprise that the Canadian universal health care system has been roped into yet another U.S. presidential election, but one Alberta politician has unwittingly found himself the subject of an American attack ad.
The Minnesota House Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Caucus recently sponsored a newspaper advertisement targeting the budget voting of a pair of Republicans in the Midwest state.
"Rep. Larry Howes & Rep. David Hancock aren't telling the truth about Minnesota's budget," the ad said.
One big problem: it was accompanied with a photo of Dave Hancock, minister of human services with Alberta's Progressive Conservative government.
Minnesota Public Radio first pointed out the oops last week, but on Thursday, Alberta's Mr. Hancock turned to Twitter to respond.
"My influence knows no boundaries ;) Campaign Advice: know your opponent #ableg#UseTheRightPhotoNextTime ," he wrote.
Perhaps the DFL fact checkers can be forgiven.
Even though Minnesota's Mr. Hancock, 67, was first elected in that state in 2010 and Alberta's Mr. Hancock, 57, is in his fifth term in the provincial legislature, both have grey hair and wear glasses in their official government portraits. Not quite separated at birth, but not exactly strikingly dissimilar.