A Recap of the 2025 North American Economic Security Mission to Washington, D.C.

Against the backdrop of tariff announcements and heightened bilateral trade tensions, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce returned to Washington, D.C., on June 10–11, with a delegation of 30 business and policy leaders — led by Candace Laing, our President and CEO.

Organized with the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Council for International Business, the business-led mission focused on strengthening Canada–U.S. trade ties and North American economic security as we approach the 2026 review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). As covered in Politico, the mission was also focused on engaging U.S. policymakers on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a major U.S. budget reconciliation bill.

Briefing at the Canadian Embassy

We kicked off the mission in the morning of June 10 with a briefing at the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C., that featured key Embassy officials responsible for trade, energy, innovation, agriculture and more. We also heard insights from Chandresh Harjivan, Former White House Special Assistant to the President, Domestic Preparedness and Response to Biological Threats.

Roundtable Discussions with Business Leaders and Provincial Representatives at the U.S. Council for International Business

After the morning sessions at the Canadian Embassy, we participated in a series of expert roundtables related to trade policy and CUSMA at the office of the U.S. Council for International Business. We were welcomed by Whitney Baird, President and CEO, U.S. Council for International Business.

Jeanette Paell, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google, moderated a panel discussion on CUSMA featuring Alice Slayton Clark, Senior Vice President for Trade, U.S. Council for International Business; Matthew Holmes, Executive Vice President, International, and Chief of Public Policy, Canadian Chamber of Commerce; and Claudia Frutos-Peterson, Managing Partner, Curtis.

Subsequently, Yana Lukasheh, Senior Principal, AWS Canada, moderated a panel discussion with provincial representatives. Speakers included David Paterson, Ontario’s Representative in Washington, D.C.; Robert Maurice, Commercial Affairs Attaché Délégation du Québec à Washington; Julia Bareman, Managing Director, Alberta’s U.S. Offices; and Justin Meyers, Senior Policy Advisor, Nelson Mullins.

Marwa Abdou, Senior Research Director, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, also delivered a presentation on how the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab is equipping Canadian businesses and policymakers to navigate the turbulent trade landscape. You can learn more about the Business Data Lab here.

North America at a Crossroads: Advancing Economic Security

After a day of private discussions, we capped off our program on June 10 with a public dialogue hosted at the Hudson Institute. Candace Laing moderated a discussion on the future of North American economic relations (“North America at a Crossroads: Advancing Economic Security”). Speakers included, Erin O’Toole, Managing Director of ADIT North America; Sergio Gómez Lora, Executive Director of the U.S. Office, Business Coordinating Council of Mexico (CCE); Thomas Duesterberg, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute; and Luke Coffey, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute. You can view the full recording of this session here.

We concluded the day with a private reception and dinner at the Palm Restaurant.

Roundtable Discussion with Experts and Key Political Staff at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The program on the second day of the mission took place at the Capitol Hill Office of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The day began with a U.S. Chamber-led briefing on the current trade policy landscape, featuring John Murphy, Senior Vice President, Head of International, and Neil Herrington, Senior Vice President, Americas Program. This was followed by a discussion with senior staff from the offices of Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), moderated by Anne McKinney, Vice President, Americas Program. The Canadian Chamber also separately met with Senator Angus King (I-ME) at his Senate office.

In the latter half of the day, we participated in roundtable discussions with experts and business leaders focused on the trade policy landscape, the implications of Section 899 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and the future of CUSMA and North American relations. Speakers included: Ed Brzytwa, Vice President of International Trade, Consumer Technology Association; Patrick Childress, Partner, Holland & Knight; Lizeth Cordova Solis, Senior Policy Advisor, Holland & Knight; Jamie Tronnes, Executive Director, Center for North American Prosperity and Security; Brian Clow, former Canada-U.S. lead to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; Sergio Gómez Lora, Executive Director (U.S. Office), Business Coordinating Council of Mexico; Brad Wood, Senior Director, Trade and Innovation Policy, National Foreign Trade Council; Joshua Meltzer, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; and Catherine Fortin LeFaivre, Senior Vice President, International Policy and Global Partnerships, Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

We concluded the mission with a discussion between Candace Laing and Laura Dawson, Executive Director, Future Borders Coalition, about lessons learned and what comes next.

Despite ongoing trade challenges, it is apparent that the business community remains optimistic about a North American future that is more united, secure, and prosperous. With the CUSMA review rapidly approaching, the Canadian Chamber will continue to champion the potential of Canadian businesses to play a driving role in advancing North American economic security and prosperity.

We extend our sincere thanks to our partners in Washington, D.C., for facilitating these important discussions: the U.S. Council for International Business, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C.