Public Safety Minister Bill Blair’s office did not directly respond to The Logic’s questions Friday about whether it would ban the Chinese-owned apps or restrict them in any way. “Canadians can be confident in the work performed by our security agencies, who will not hesitate to act in order to keep our country safe,” said press secretary Mary-Liz Power. (The Logic)

Talking point: On Friday morning, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced sweeping restrictions on both apps, which include barring WeChat and TikTok from app stores as of September 20. The combined restrictions will make it difficult for either app to function in the U.S. They’re the latest escalation by President Donald Trump, who is trying to limit the reach of Chinese technology. Canada has repeatedly ended up in the middle of those attempts, and has often chosen to say nothing. It is the only member of the Five Eyes not to ban or restrict Huawei, having continually delayed making a decision on the Chinese telco. In February, The Logic reported Canada’s military wouldn’t block Chinese security cameras banned by the U.S., and in April that the federal government was using Chinese drones grounded by Washington over security concerns. The U.S. doesn’t always inform Canada of its plans to limit Chinese tech influence prior to announcing them. In August, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced plans to ban TikTok and WeChat; Canada was not told about them prior.