Carney announces new Canada trade committee as review of trade deal with US nears 

OTTAWA, April 21 (Reuters) – Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday announced a new, expanded advisory committee on Canada-United States economic relations, retaining only four people from the previous council formed under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 

The 24-member advisory committee will be chaired by Canada’s minister responsible for trade with the U.S., Dominic LeBlanc. The committee will hold its first meeting on April 27, the prime minister’s office said. 

Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are part of the USMCA free trade agreement, called CUSMA in Canada, which is up for a review by July 1. 

The USMCA has been critical in shielding Canada, which ships almost 70% of all its exports to the U.S., from the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. As much as 85% of goods flowing to the U.S. are exempt from tariffs, and economists have said the exemption has helped Canada stave off a recession.   

Businesses and industry leaders are lobbying the government to get an extension of the USMCA as the uncertainty around the future of the deal has sapped investment and hiring.

Among those retained on the advisory committee are Flavio Volpe, the president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, Lana Payne, union leader and president of Unifor, Tabatha Bull, CEO of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business and Jean Charest, former deputy prime minister. 

Other prominent names include Erin O’Toole, former leader of the opposition Conservative party, Candace Laing, CEO of Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Dennis Darby, president of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, the statement said. 

(Reporting by Promit Mukherjee, Editing by Nick Zieminski)