As Ambassador Hillman’s time in Washington comes to a close, a new era of Canada-U.S. relations begins. Replacing Ambassador Hillman is a two-person job, with Canada returning to its typical position of appointing a separate Ambassador and Chief Negotiator. While Prime Minister Carney announced his choice for Ambassador, Mark Wiseman, in December, it wasn’t until February 16, 2026, that he announced Janice Charette as the next Chief Negotiator for CUSMA.
Setting the Stage for the CUSMA Renegotiation
The 2026 CUSMA review has been at the forefront of Canadians’ minds since President Trump took office in January 2025. The agreement has offered Canadian businesses significant benefits in the face of the 25%, and later 35%, tariffs levied on Canadian goods, by allowing the majority of Canadian goods to access the U.S. tariff free. Because of the benefits offered to Canadian industry through the agreement, and Canada’s economic integration with the U.S., protecting the CUSMA Agreement is perhaps the most important trade negotiation in Canada’s modern history.
In July 2025, Prime Minister Carney announced that Ambassador Kirsten Hillman would take on the role as the Chief Negotiator for CUSMA. This was a departure from previous negotiations, where Canada kept the roles of Ambassador and Chief Negotiator for CUSMA as separate but complementary. During the initial CUSMA negotiations for example, Steve Verhuel was appointed as Chief Negotiator and worked alongside Ambassador David MacNaughton. However, Ambassador Hillman was a force of nature, as she possessed the both the trade negotiation expertise and diplomatic relationships, having been chief negotiator for the CPTPP negotiations and a supporting negotiator for the initial CUSMA, as well as a respected Ambassador across the Hill in the U.S.. These attributes made her the perfect person to take on the dual role of Chief Negotiator and Ambassador for CUSMA.
When Ambassador Hillman announced her intentions to step back from the role of Ambassador and Chief Negotiator in December 2025, it was not immediately clear who would replace her and whether they would also assume the dual role. A single successor seemed unlikely, as Kirsten’s diplomatic and trade negotiation experience are not easily replicated. These suspicions were confirmed, with Prime Minister Carney appointing Mark Wiseman as Ambassador and Janice Charette as the Chief Negotiator. Heading into the 2026 CUSMA Review, all eyes are on Ambassador Mark Wiseman and Chief Negotiator Janice Charette.
Mark Wiseman: Canada’s New Ambassador to the United States
On December 22, 2025, Prime Minister Carney announced that Mark Wiseman would be Canada’s next Ambassador to the United States. Ambassador Wiseman comes from the business world, with a three-decade long career spanning law, business and finance.
Ambassador Wiseman’s education and career spans across Canada and the U.S.. Attending the University of Toronto for his Bachelor of Laws and Yale for his Master of
Laws, Ambassador Wiseman will likely be well versed in the political cycles and policy implications and processes on both sides of the border. In addition to law, Ambassador Wiseman has extensive experience in the business and investment world. Prior to his appointment, Ambassador Wiseman served as the President and CEO of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board from 2012 to 2016, and as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation from 2020 to 2023. Ambassador Wiseman was also the Global Head of Active Equities at BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager headquartered in New York.
Ambassador Wiseman’s career looks very different from that of Ambassador Hillman’s, as he has worked exclusively in the private sector with no diplomatic experience. In fact, he is the first Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. in 100 years not to have any experience as a diplomat or politician. This isn’t necessarily a disadvantage however, as the U.S. is increasingly being operated as a business, with the CEO (or President) ranking relationships based on the return. Ambassador Wiseman is a businessman at heart, and while he may be entering this role without any diplomatic relationships, he likely understands the art of making a deal.
Janice Charette: Chief Negotiator for the CUSMA Review
After appointing Mark Wiseman as Ambassador, it became clear that Prime Minister Carney intended to appoint a separate Chief Negotiator for the CUSMA review. On February 16, 2026, Prime Minister Carney announced that Janice Charette would be the next Chief Negotiator to the United States.
Janice Charette twice served as Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, Canada’s top public servant, and was the High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 2016 to 2021. She has worked across government departments over her time in the public service and was appointed as a member of the King’s Privy Council for Canada in honour of her longstanding career in service of Canada and Canadians. Prior to her appointment, she had served on the Wellington Advocacy Strategic Advisory Board. Janice Charette’s dedication to Canada and Canadians over the course of her career makes her a strong choice for Chief Negotiator during this pivotal moment.
In his announcement, Prime Minister Carney noted that Janice Charette will work closely with Ambassador Wiseman and will be the senior advisor to the Prime Minister and Minister LeBlanc on the upcoming CUSMA Review. While Minister LeBlanc has taken an active role in U.S. negotiations since May, it is unclear whether Minister LeBlanc will engage in the CUSMA Review on the frontlines alongside Ms. Charette, or on the sidelines supporting Ms. Charette.
What to Expect Now
The presentation of Ambassador Wiseman’s credentials and the appointment of Janice Charette as Chief Negotiator are important steps in moving the CUSMA review forward. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Carney stated that Canada was ready to begin discussions on the review, and following this week, we can expect Canada to begin moving full steam ahead.
In an interview on her exit, Ambassador Hillman suggested that the new Ambassador will need to work fast to secure relationships with the U.S., and this is exactly what we expect Ambassador Wiseman to do in the coming weeks. It is likely that Ambassador Wiseman has already begun to meet with his U.S. counterparts to build relationships with those involved in the CUSMA Review. As the Ambassador, the CUSMA Review is likely one of his top priorities, alongside easing U.S. concerns regarding Canada’s agreement with China, and border security.
In terms of the CUSMA review, Canada’s CUSMA consultation process, while much less transparent than the U.S. process, is widely considered to be complete. Taking the formal consultations submitted by stakeholders, as well as messaging from stakeholder engagement across government, we can expect Janice Charette to begin carrying out her mandate to achieve the best deal for Canadians.
Mexico and the U.S. have already begun bilateral discussions on resolving irritants under CUSMA, including by exploring a critical mineral agreement. While Canada is likely to begin engaging in discussions, it is unclear how it will engage in these initial “irritant-specific” discussion given Canada’s negotiation power rests in broad deals rather than sectoral specific agreements. That being said, if all three countries are ready to engage on the broader agreement, it is possible that the anticipated CUSMA renegotiation will begin sooner than expected.
It is hard to ignore the growing geopolitical tensions in the U.S., as the Trump Administration begins to have its authority threatened. The IEEPA tariff case still under consideration at the Supreme Court, expectation that the House will continue to pass motions challenging President Trump’s tariffs, and upcoming midterm elections are likely beginning to squeeze the President who may feel is authority is being undermined. This increased domestic pressure may impact his messaging regarding CUSMA, and his willingness to work with Canada and Mexico collaboratively over the coming weeks.
Final Thoughts
This is a consequential moment for Canada’s trade relationship with the United States and Mexico and the presentation of Ambassador Wiseman’s credentials and appointment of Janice Charette as Chief Negotiator this weekend are important steps in moving the CUSMA review forward. The benefits that CUSMA offers Canadian businesses makes it imperative to ensure a successful review so that the agreement can continue to provide benefits for years to come. Our Trade Policy and Market Entry Team will continue to provide unparalleled strategic counsel and insight on the trade policy and regulatory matters most consequential to your strategic interests, especially as we head towards the July 1 CUSMA Review deadline.
