International Trade Committee on Sept. 22nd, 2025

[Aaron Fowler]

Again, I am not the chief negotiator for this particular initiative. The government has named Ambassador Hillman as the chief negotiator for the portion of the conversations that are under way today. My team tries to support and facilitate her efforts. In this case, I think the appropriate answer would come from the chief negotiator for that particular initiative.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Does that mean you're not going to get back to us on that?

[Aaron Fowler]

I will get back to you having consulted with those who are most closely engaged in the file.

Is that an appropriate answer?

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

That's perfect. Thank you.

You talked about the team Canada approach. Do you think team Canada includes this committee?

[Aaron Fowler]

I suppose it should, yes. It's a team Canada approach.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Do you think the team Canada approach includes the members of the opposition parties as well?

[Aaron Fowler]

You're taking me outside of my area of expertise. My sense is that, yes, it is meant to be as broad a coalition of Canadian voices supporting and advancing the same position as possible.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Thank you. It's not a trick question. I would hope our chief negotiator does view the committee and members of the opposition as part of the team Canada approach. We heard concerns with respect to transparency and engagement in the committee, and I think that's part of what I'm trying to convey to you.

Are you aware that the Prime Minister decided yesterday to recognize the state of Palestine?

[Aaron Fowler]

I'm aware.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Are you aware of the President of the United States' comments in respect of that decision, when he said, “That will make it very hard...to make a...Deal”? Are you aware of those comments?

[Aaron Fowler]

I have read that those were the comments as reported.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Do you agree with the president that it will make it very hard to get a deal for Canada?

[Aaron Fowler]

I think this is going to be a difficult negotiation, irrespective of that.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Do you think that made it more likely or less likely to get favourable terms from the United States?

[Aaron Fowler]

I believe that the United States, in this commercial negotiation, will be guided by commercial and economic considerations.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

You have 30 seconds.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

I understand.

Let me ask that again: Do you agree with the president's comment that Canada's recognition of the state of Palestine will make it harder to get a deal for Canada, yes or no?

[Aaron Fowler]

I don't have an opinion on that.

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

You don't have an opinion...?

[Aaron Fowler]

On whether the president's opinion is correct...? No, I don't think it's my place to answer that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Judy Sgro]

Thank you very much, Mr. Mantle.

We go to Ms. Lapointe, please, for five minutes.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Mr. Fowler, welcome to the committee. It's a pleasure to meet you.

You talked a bit about the free trade agreement and the fact that you posted a link on your website in 2024. You said that things have changed since 2025.

How have the recent geopolitical upheavals—the U.S., China and Brexit have been mentioned—affected your approach to trade negotiations?

[Aaron Fowler]

Thank you for the question.

I think an environment has been created where the success of our trade commitments and free trade negotiations is even more important for Canada.

It's important to provide Canadian businesses with trade opportunities and market access of immediate importance. So we try to find ways to advance our negotiations more efficiently than before. Our approach has been effective for a number of years, but things were not moving very quickly.

That said, we are having discussions within the department about how to speed up the process and focus our discussions on the most important issues from a trade perspective in order to make a difference for Canadians.

That approach has changed a lot over the past few years.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Are you discussing best practices with your partners in other countries to arrive at a good place in discussions with the United States, for example?

[Aaron Fowler]

We are following with great interest the discussions between the United States and other partners around the world. We have a team that immediately analyzes the announcements made following discussions between the United States and other countries.

In addition, we discuss topics of common interest with our partners around the world. Right now, trade relations with the United States are of great interest around the world.