OTTAWA – CTV News has learned the federal government plans to unveil a new Canada-U.S. advisory council as soon as tomorrow, ahead of a formal review process of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement this summer.
Multiple sources tell CTV News the council will retain some members, but displace others, and the focus will shift more to the specific issue of trade. The new group is expected to be led by Michael Sabia, clerk of the Privy Council, and Janice Charette, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s chief trade negotiator to the United States.
The original council was set up by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in January 2025, following the launch of U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war. It was populated by former politicians like Rachel Notley and Jean Charest, then-Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman, former ambassador David MacNaughton, former national security advisor Jody Thomas, as well as labour and industry stakeholders.
It comes two days after the prime minister released a 10-minute-long video speaking directly to Canadians about how the U.S. has fundamentally changed its approach on trade, citing the punishing tariffs levied against the steel, aluminum, copper, lumber and automotive industries in this country.
“Many of our former strengths, based on our close ties to America, have become our weaknesses; weaknesses that we must correct,” Carney said in the video. “The U.S. has changed and we must respond”.
United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said it’s unlikely the U.S. will resolve all its trade issues with Canada and Mexico before the July 1 deadline to renegotiate the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, or CUSMA. In mid-March, Greer also told Fox Business that Canada was behind Mexico on trade discussions.
On Monday, Greer met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for a bilateral discussion on trade and economic relations ahead of the CUSMA review deadline. According to a readout from Greer’s office, the trade representative thanked Sheinbaum for her strong leadership in expanding U.S-Mexico bilateral co-operation.
Greer and Mexican Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard concluded their meeting by agreeing to schedule the first official bilateral negotiating round for the CUSMA review in late May in Mexico City.
No such meeting has been scheduled between Canada and the U.S.
