Obama and his campaign had initially denied a Canadian television report from late last month that Obama's top economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, had met with Canadian government officials in Chicago and told them Obama's call for reopening labor and environmental rules in NAFTA was merely campaign rhetoric.

But on Monday, The Associated Press obtained a Canadian government memo that detailed a meeting Goolsbee held on a variety of issues, including NAFTA.

What the memo said

"Noting anxiety among many U.S. domestic audiences about the U.S. economic outlook, Goolsbee candidly acknowledged the protectionist sentiment that has emerged, particularly in the Midwest, during the primary campaign," a consulate staffer wrote, according to AP. "He cautioned that this messaging should not be taken out of context and should be viewed as more about political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans."

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