On April 21, 2026, Janice Charette, Canada’s chief trade negotiator to the United States, participated in a fireside chat at the Future of Business Summit: Canada-U.S. Trade, hosted by the Public Policy Forum in Ottawa. The event brought together business leaders, policymakers, and trade experts to discuss the evolving economic relationship between Canada and the United States amid ongoing negotiations over supply chain resilience, digital trade, and regulatory alignment.
Charette, appointed to her role in 2024 following a career in public service that included serving as Clerk of the Privy Council, emphasized the importance of maintaining predictable trade flows under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), which remains the foundational framework for trilateral commerce. Her remarks came as both countries navigate renewed pressure to address non-tariff barriers affecting sectors such as automotive manufacturing, agriculture, and clean energy technology.
The summit, held annually to assess the state of Canada-U.S. Economic relations, featured a closing address by Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Laing highlighted the need for greater coordination between Ottawa and Washington on emerging issues like artificial intelligence governance and cross-border data flows, noting that business confidence depends on regulatory predictability.
According to verified event documentation from CPAC, the discussion between Charette and Laing focused on practical steps to strengthen trilateral supply chains, particularly in critical minerals and semiconductor production. Both speakers underscored that while political rhetoric occasionally creates uncertainty, operational cooperation between Canadian and U.S. Trade officials continues at the working level.
The Future of Business Summit series, organized by the Public Policy Forum since 2018, aims to foster non-partisan dialogue on issues affecting Canada’s long-term economic competitiveness. Past editions have addressed topics including climate policy, innovation policy, and workforce development, with proceedings typically published in both English and French to reflect Canada’s linguistic duality.
Janice Charette’s participation in the summit reflects her ongoing role as the primary point of contact for Canada in bilateral trade discussions with the United States Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). Her office, based in Ottawa, coordinates with Global Affairs Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to align negotiating positions across federal departments.
Candace Laing, in her capacity as head of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, represents over 200,000 businesses across Canada through a network of local chambers and industry associations. Her organization regularly publishes policy briefs advocating for measures to reduce interprovincial trade barriers and improve access to North American markets for slight and medium-sized enterprises.
The April 21, 2026 summit occurred against the backdrop of the 2026 review cycle of CUSMA, which mandates a joint assessment of the agreement’s effectiveness every six years. While the formal review process is led by designated officials from each country, stakeholder forums like the Future of Business Summit provide input that informs governmental positions.
No formal announcements or treaty modifications were made during the event. Instead, the discussion served as a platform to exchange perspectives on implementation challenges and opportunities for deeper cooperation in areas such as green hydrogen standards and electric vehicle battery supply chains.
As of the date of the summit, both the Canadian and U.S. Governments had reaffirmed their commitment to resolving disputes through the mechanisms established under CUSMA, including the Chapter 31 dispute settlement process. Recent uses of this mechanism have addressed disagreements over dairy access rules and wine labeling requirements.
Looking ahead, the next scheduled checkpoint in the Canada-U.S. Trade relationship is the semi-annual meeting of the CUSMA Commission, set for late summer 2026. This gathering will bring together senior officials from all three member states to oversee the agreement’s operation and address emerging issues.
For readers seeking ongoing coverage of Canada-U.S. Trade developments, official updates are available through Global Affairs Canada’s trade negotiations portal and the Office of the United States Trade Representative’s website. Business-focused analysis is regularly published by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Council for International Business.
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