Based on coverage from The Star, The Star, and Yahoo News.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is rebooting Ottawa’s outside advisory table on Canada-U.S. economic relations, swapping out much of the group that Justin Trudeau set up near the end of his time in office. The timing matters: the mandatory review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is coming up in June, and Canada is still dealing with U.S. tariffs and trade irritants across several sectors.
As the government seeks to strengthen its economic ties with the U.S., it is also focusing on workforce development, as evidenced by its recent investment of $94.5 million in labour market data across Canada, which aims to better inform economic strategies. This initiative complements the efforts of the newly formed advisory committee tasked with navigating complex trade relationships. For more on this investment, see our previous coverage on labour market data initiatives.
Carney’s updated committee pulls in some big political and business names, and it is meant to give the government a single forum for advice and strategy on the Canada-U.S. economic relationship.
Mark Carney’s Canada-U.S. advisory committee list
The Prime Minister’s Office says the new committee includes leaders from major Canadian industries, plus people with deep experience in business, investment, trade, and labour.
High-profile additions include former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, former Liberal cabinet minister and former high commissioner to the U.K. Ralph Goodale, former Conservative cabinet minister Lisa Raitt, and former Nunavut premier P.J. Akeeagok.
Carney also kept some familiar faces from the Trudeau-era version of the group, including former Quebec premier Jean Charest, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association president Flavio Volpe, and Unifor president Lana Payne.
Dominic LeBlanc to chair Canada-U.S. trade talks
Unlike some past versions of these advisory efforts, this one will be chaired by Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, rather than the prime minister himself.
LeBlanc has been shuttling between Ottawa and Washington for much of the past year ahead of the CUSMA review in June. According to the National Post, the committee is expected to hold its first meeting next week.
Industry and labour voices from tariff-hit sectors
The Toronto Star reports the rebooted panel includes representatives tied to industries directly exposed to U.S. protectionism, including aluminum, steel and lumber, as well as voices from agriculture, dairy, and the cultural sector.
The Star lists members such as: - Ron Bedard, president of Dofasco - Darryl White, CEO of Bank of Montreal - Tracy Robinson, head of Canadian National Railway - François Poirier, head of TC Energy - Jonathan Price, head of Teck Resources Limited - Ken Seitz, head of Nutrien - Émile Cordeau, head of Agropur - Luc Thériault, head of Domtar - Susan Yurkovich, president and CEO of Canfor - Cameron Bailey, head of the Toronto International Film Festival - Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (also noted by the National Post) - The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is also represented, according to the Star
The Star also notes Tabatha Bull, CEO of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business, remains on the committee.
What changed from Trudeau’s previous council
Several prominent Trudeau-era advisers are no longer listed on the new version. The Star reports former ambassadors Kirsten Hillman and David MacNaughton are off the committee, as are former premiers Rachel Notley and Stephen McNeil.
The Star also says other former advisers have been dropped, including Steve Verheul (Canada’s former NAFTA chief negotiator), former national security adviser Jody Thomas, and Dragon’s Den figures Arlene Dickinson and Wes Hall.
Conservatives question Carney’s trade plan
Carney’s cross-party picks are already causing political sparks. The Star calls O’Toole’s appointment “surprising,” given Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s criticism of Carney’s approach to trade.
Poilievre, speaking outside a Liberal cabinet meeting Tuesday, said O’Toole joining the committee is “great,” but argued Canada needs “action.” He criticized Carney for not being clear with Canadians about his objectives in the CUSMA talks and questioned what Carney is actually seeking: a full overhaul or smaller changes, and what Canada is demanding on tariffs affecting sectors like aluminum, steel, autos and lumber.
Meanwhile, tensions on the U.S. side are still part of the backdrop. The Star reports U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently took aim at Canada’s trade diversification push, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said Canada is lagging behind Mexico on resolving bilateral irritants, something LeBlanc disputes.
For Canadians, the practical test is whether this committee helps Ottawa move faster and negotiate harder ahead of the June CUSMA review, especially for industries feeling the bite of tariffs and uncertainty right now.
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