The Canada U.S. Trade Council (CUSTC) is a new industry and labour council formed to collaborate on tariff and CUSMA issues, say its organizers.
The voluntary initiative, launched January 10th, includes participants from a cross-section of Canadian trade-dependent industries, including steel, aluminum, forest products, oil and gas, agri-food, and dairy as well as broader industry groups such as the Business Council of Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and labour organizations.
The steering committee will be led initially by the CEOs of the Aluminum Association of Canada and the Canadian Steel Producers Association. The group will convene regular meetings to share information and ideas for how best to approach the tariff discussions and the subsequent CUSMA/USMCA review phase.
The group is not a lobbying or an advocacy organization but will focus instead on sharing information and ensuring an ongoing conversation, including with key government officials who have responsibilities on these files, the group says.
The CUSTC will draw on advisors who have agreed to serve as counsellors, including Steve Verheul, James Moore, Jean Charest, Laura Dawson, RJ Johnston, and Adam Taylor. Together these individuals have extensive experience in Canada-U.S. trade relations.
Canadian and provincial government officials will be invited to participate on a recurring basis to share knowledge, update on current developments, and gather input from participants.
Organizations interested in participating in this council are encouraged to contact Bruce Anderson, partner at Spark Advocacy, or Adam Taylor, partner at NorthStar Public Affairs, which are jointly providing secretariat services to the new CUSTC.