The U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust division was instructed earlier this ​week to pause all work with the Canadian government, ‌the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing emails, amid a trade dispute between Washington and Ottawa.

Lynda Marshall, chief of the antitrust division’s international section, ordered officials in an email Wednesday to stop all cooperation ​on cases and ​engagement on ⁠policy issues with Canadian authorities, without providing a reason for the directive, the report ​said.

Reuters: US Justice Department pauses cooperation with Canadian government, WSJ reports