Foreign Affairs Committee on April 23rd, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

I call this meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 32 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Tuesday, February 3, the committee is meeting on the mandate of the ambassador of Canada to the United States.

Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members are attending in person in the room and remotely using the Zoom application.

I would like to welcome the witnesses who are with us today.

From the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, we have Mark Wiseman, ambassador of Canada to the United States, and Glen Linder, assistant deputy minister, Americas branch.

I now invite Ambassador Wiseman to make an opening statement of up to five minutes.

[Mark Wiseman, Ambassador of Canada to the United States, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Thank you.

Mr. Chair, honourable members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. This is my first appearance before this committee since I began as ambassador of Canada to the United States on February 15, only 67 days ago.

I intend to serve Canadians with a clear focus on advancing our national interests during what is a defining period in the bilateral relationship.

I was born in Niagara Falls, close to the border. I studied at Queen's University and the University of Toronto. I did an internship at the École supérieure de commerce de Paris, and I also studied at Yale University.

Much of my career has been dedicated to strengthening the retirement security of Canadians, including at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, at the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and as chair of the board of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation.

I also served at BlackRock, managing global equity portfolios. Those roles gave me a deep understanding of global markets and enabled me to develop strong networks across public and private sectors in both Canada and the United States. These relationships will be critical as we navigate the years ahead.

As ambassador, I represent Canada's political, economic and security interests in the United States. My core responsibility is to manage our bilateral relationship with the U.S. In this role, I am working to help safeguard Canada's economic and security interests, and to support the hundreds of thousands of Canadians in the United States on any given day. I am also leading Canada's largest diplomatic network abroad. Our embassy, 12 consulates general and three trade offices are supported by nearly 600 dedicated diplomats and professionals.

Our economic ties with the United States are deep and vast. We have the largest economy in the world at our doorstep, with a market of 340 million people comprising 25% of global GDP. This brings tremendous benefits to Canada. In 2025, about $3.5 billion in goods and services crossed the border every day, and nearly $1.3 trillion has crossed the border over the last year. This represents approximately two-thirds of Canada's global trade. Canada trades more with the United States in a single day than we trade with most countries in a year.

Our defence relationship with the United States—by far the largest military power in the world—is seamless, which is essential to Canada's security. NORAD remains the most integrated binational military command in the world. Close to 1,000 Canadian Armed Forces members serve in the United States, many directly supporting continental defence.

We also share extensive people-to-people ties. Almost 350,000 people cross our shared 9,000-kilometre border every day through 127 land ports, plus air and waterways.

However, as the Prime Minister has said, this relationship is changing. “America first” policies do not always align with Canada's sovereign interests or with the spirit of continental co-operation that has long defined our partnership. Nowhere has this been felt more acutely than on trade, where U.S. tariffs, especially the section 232 sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and lumber, are impacting jobs and investment in Canada, creating unpredictability, threatening our integrated supply chains and raising costs for businesses and families.

The Prime Minister has been clear: Canada must build a new economic and security relationship with the United States, one that is principled, pragmatic and anchored in resilience and sovereignty. That will be central to my work as ambassador.

As we prepare for the CUSMA review, I'm working closely with Minister LeBlanc and chief negotiator Janice Charette. Our objectives are clear: first, to secure stable and preferential access to the entire North American market; second, to reinforce Canada's economic sovereignty; and third, to defend Canadian workers and businesses at every turn.

North American integration must continue to support shared prosperity, but not at the expense of Canada's autonomy. Canada's achievement of NATO's 2% defence spending target this year has been welcomed in Washington, D.C. We remain on track to reach our 5% target by 2035, with significant investments in the Arctic, an area where Canada and the U.S. must continue to work closely through NORAD as well as with NATO and our Nordic allies.

Both Canada and the United States will continue to deepen co-operation to address common threats, including organized crime, fentanyl and other illicit drugs, and firearms trafficking, as well as the challenge of irregular migration across our shared border. Through Canada's $1.3-billion border plan, Canada has already made significant progress in strengthening its border through investments in personnel, technology, aerial surveillance and strong coordination with the United States. The passage of Bill C-12 last month will provide our border, law enforcement and immigration authorities with the tools they need to keep our shared border safe and secure.

Our deeper co-operation is also delivering results. Irregular border crossings from Canada to the U.S. have declined significantly, and efficiency is improving, including with the opening of a new U.S. pre-clearance facility last month at Billy Bishop airport in Toronto. In addition, the January 22 arrest of Ryan Wedding and recognition by the FBI of Canadian law enforcement efforts highlight the positive co-operation in our relationship.

The United States is an essential partner on global issues, from the Arctic to central and eastern Europe to Latin America and the Caribbean, but Canada will also work with other like-minded partners to advance shared priorities, not as a substitute to the United States but to strengthen our resilience in an increasingly complex world.

Since my arrival, the embassy has supported a broad range of parliamentary delegations to Washington, including the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, parliamentary secretaries, four committee chairs and bipartisan members from across the country, with more on the calendar in coming weeks—and it's only been 67 days. I've had the opportunity to brief and engage with Canadian delegates from across the political spectrum, who have undertaken more than 50 meetings with legislators, administration officials and U.S. public and private sector interlocutors on a wide range of issues, from the Great Lakes to energy to borders to defence.

I understand that Canadian parliamentarians will also travel across the United States this summer, to such places as Greenville, South Carolina; Salt Lake City, Utah; Saint Paul, Minnesota; and Chicago, Illinois. Like the embassy in Washington, our consulate network will support your interactions with American state legislators from across the country to advance our interests in the United States.

I want to let this committee know the value of parliamentary diplomacy cannot be overstated. Engaging Americans not only in the capital but across the U.S. helps to build bridges, mend fences and strengthen relationships at the constituent level.

In fact, I understand that some members of this committee will be in Washington, D.C., with me, in mid-May.

Speaking of that, on May 12, an invitation went out that was only in the English language. This was an error—an unacceptable error. That has now been corrected and the invitation has been resent, in both official languages.

In my view, that invitation going out in English only is unacceptable. I want to apologize on behalf of the embassy and personally. I want to be firm in my commitment for the need to promote bilingualism in Canada and as Canada faces the world, including the United States. The demonstration of bilingualism shows our commitment to multiculturalism, multilingualism and the type of Canada we all believe in.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador, for your statement.

I will now open the floor for questions, beginning with MP Michael Chong.

You have six minutes.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Ambassador, for appearing in front of us today. I appreciate your opening statement.

I'd like to talk a little bit about what happened this past week with Mexico. Mexico issued a formal statement indicating that Mexican and U.S. officials were directed this week to talk about four different sets of issues. Those talks included the tariffs on aluminum, steel and autos. President Sheinbaum indicated she's eyeing a deal on aluminum, steel and autos, before the review of CUSMA is complete.

Can you tell us if Canada is coordinating with Mexico on getting tariff relief for those sectors?

[Mark Wiseman]

Thank you.

Canada believes strongly in the trilateral nature of the CUSMA arrangements.

It is my job, as ambassador, working with our chief negotiator and with Minister LeBlanc, to ensure that we are raising issues, including section 232, with our colleagues in the United States and Mexico. In fact, I understand that the Mexican delegation will be here in Ottawa, in the next few weeks, to meet with Minister LeBlanc and his team.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON]

My question is about Mexico having formal talks this week on these four sets of issues, including the tariffs. Is Canada going to have formal talks on the section 232 tariffs?

When is that going to happen?

[Mark Wiseman]

We recognize that the section 232 tariffs are having a very large and important negative impact on Canadian industry and Canadian workers. You can assume that we are having ongoing discussions with both the United States and Mexico.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON]

My question is about formal discussions. I understand the minister has had phone calls, but these are formal discussions that Mexico is undertaking this week.

Is Canada going to be having formal discussions on section 232 tariffs, and if so, when?

[Mark Wiseman]

As you know, there is a formal review process, under the terms of the CUSMA arrangement. We expect that formal review process will commence because it's required under the agreement.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON]

On that issue, Mexico also indicated, in it's formal statement issued by their ministry, that the first formal, bilateral negotiating round between Mexico and the United States will take place the week of May 25.

When will Canada's first formal negotiating round take place?

[Mark Wiseman]

No date has been set for any formal negotiating round—

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON]

Thank you.

[Mark Wiseman]

—as it relates to the review.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON]

The review of CUSMA.... I understand.

The other question I have is about how, a year ago, the Canadian government made significant concessions. They rescinded the retaliatory tariffs, and several weeks later they suspended the implementation of the digital services tax—two major concessions to try to get negotiations going.

Negotiations have been stalled for some time now, unlike for Mexico, which seems to be moving along at a fairly steady clip. We're also getting reports that this go-slow approach is a deliberate strategy on the part of the government.

Can you tell us why the government has decided, in contrast to Mexico, that a go-slow approach is the right way to tackle not just the issues of the section 232 tariffs but also the commencement of the formal negotiations concerning the CUSMA review?

[Mark Wiseman]

Canada is ready and willing to commence any type of review process with the United States and also with Mexico. We are ready to do that and are prepared to do so. We will advance the interests of Canada through Minister LeBlanc and our chief negotiator, both formally and—I can ensure you—informally, at every turn, in the best interests of Canadians.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON]

That seems to conflict with what officials on the record and off the record are saying.

Premier Susan Holt of New Brunswick said that the free trade talks of the United States are “not at a place that I could write home about with a lot of optimism”. That's what she said after a meeting with Minister LeBlanc. Then we have Louise Blais, the former Canadian diplomat, saying that officials in Washington are telling her that the Canadian government is going slow in its approach deliberately on this.

Then there was an official, a Quebec source reported in CBC/Radio-Canada, who said that when the Prime Minister talked to the Quebec premier, “Carney told him explicitly that this slow approach was part of Ottawa's strategy”.

What is the strategy? Is it to go slow, or is it to do what the Mexicans are doing and expeditiously deal with this?

[Mark Wiseman]

I'm not going to discuss the details of the Government of Canada's strategy as it relates to the CUSMA review or the 232 issues here, but I will say that Canada is ready to go in our discussions. We are prepared. We have done our homework, and we are ready to proceed with each of Mexico and the United States forthwith.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Guilbeault, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador, for being with us today. Thank you as well for acknowledging, in your opening remarks, the mistake made regarding the invitation that was extended to members in English only. Thank you for correcting that. I think you heard, as I did, the Prime Minister acknowledge that this was unacceptable. I think we can take you at your word to make sure that doesn't happen again.

Mr. Chair, I'd like to give notice of the following motion. My office will send it to the clerk in a few minutes. In the meantime, I'll read it out to you:

That the committee affirm its commitment to official bilingualism and express its concerns regarding the English only invitation sent to members of the committee by the Embassy of Canada to the United States; and that it invite Arun Thangaraj, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs to brief the committee on Global Affairs Canada’s Official Languages policy and its implementation across Canada’s embassies worldwide.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I will now move on and ask my questions.

Mr. Ambassador, if I remember correctly, you said earlier that you have been in your position for 67 days. My question has two parts.

Could you tell us what you have done so far in terms of diplomatic efforts, both regarding the negotiations to renegotiate the free trade agreement, as well as more broadly in our diplomatic relations with the United States?

What is your game plan? For example, what are your goals for your first year in Washington?

[Mark Wiseman]

Thank you for the question.

First of all, as it relates to negotiations on trade, one of the great benefits we have is that I am the ambassador, and we also have chief negotiator Janice Charette working in tandem with me, of course, under the direction of Minister LeBlanc.

Obviously the negotiations on trade and helping to support them is an important part of my role, but it's not my entire role. My role includes supporting Canadian interests in the United States and supporting Canadians in relation to the United States writ large.

To the second part of the question, a big part of that is building relationships with stakeholders across the United States. In my first 67 days, I have primarily been in Washington, D.C., meeting members of Congress, senior members of the U.S. administration and executive branch and both Canadian and U.S. leaders from the business and labour communities and various industry associations, etc., in order to both tell the Canadian story of the importance of the relationship more clearly, and receive feedback and information from them.

Although I have been to Houston, I will be going to New York and I'll be going to Colorado in the coming weeks, but in my early days, the focus has been inside the so-called Beltway.

Going forward, however, my focus as ambassador—importantly, in conjunction with parliamentarians and with the support of our 12 consulates across the U.S.—is to tell the Canadian story regionally as well. The United States is a big country. We must engage with business leaders, legislators, community leaders and labour across the country. That will be a big part of my job in my first year in the role.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you.

I think I have a bit of time left, Mr. Chair.

I have one last question for you, Mr. Ambassador.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Yes, there is time.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Ambassador, you talked about the meetings you have already had, mainly in Washington.

Can you give us a summary of the lessons you have learned from those initial meetings with members of the U.S. cabinet or with representatives of Congress?

[Mark Wiseman]

I will say very clearly that my reception as the representative of Canada has been, without exception, incredibly warm. That started with the presentation of my credentials on February 17 to the President of the United States and to Secretary Rubio.

Americans understand the importance of the alliance and economic relationship with Canada. Do they wake up and think about us every day the way that we wake up and think about them every day? No, that's not the case, and we have to continually remind them of the importance of the economic relationship, the personal ties and the defence alignment we have.

Every meeting I have had has been respectful, open and receptive, and I have to say I wasn't necessarily expecting that.

I think at times we have to look below the bluster the same as we do here in Canada—politics, I assume, is politics—and get down to business. My sense, based on my reasonably large sample in the first couple of months, is that people in the United States also want to get down to business not just on trade but on all the aspects of the complex relationship between our two countries.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much.

Next, we go to Monsieur Brunelle-Duceppe.

You have six minutes.