PM Carney taps former head of public service to spearhead CUSMA negotiations

Politics·New

Prime Minister Mark Carney has chosen the former clerk of the Privy Council, Janice Charette, to head Canada’s trade negotiations as it prepares for a review of the North American trade pact this year.

Janice Charette to serve as Canada’s chief trade negotiator to the U.S., PMO says

Darren Major · CBC News · Posted: Feb 16, 2026 10:44 AM EST | Last Updated: 19 minutes ago

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Janice Charette, who’s been named Ottawa’s chief trade negotiator to the United States, served as Privy Council clerk under Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau when they were prime ministers. (Jean-Francois Benoit/CBC )

Prime Minister Mark Carney has chosen former clerk of the Privy Council Janice Charette to head Canada’s trade negotiations as it prepares for a review of the North American trade pact this year.

Charette’s title is chief trade negotiator to the United States, according to a Monday news release from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). She’ll be a senior adviser to Carney and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc.

The announcement comes as the federal government prepares for a scheduled review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) this year.

Charette twice held the top job in Canada’s public service — from 2014 to 2016 and 2021 to 2023. Previously, she served as Canada’s high commissioner to the U.K.

In her second tenure as Privy Council clerk, Charette recommended the government use the Emergencies Act for the first time, in order to clear anti-public health measure protests that had gridlocked downtown Ottawa in 2022.

That decision thrust her into the spotlight when she was later called to testify at the Public Order Emergency Commission last fall and defended her reason for recommending use of the act. She also appeared at the subsequent commission looking into foreign election meddling.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darren Major is a senior writer for CBC’s parliamentary bureau in Ottawa. He previously worked as a digital reporter for CBC Ottawa and a producer for CBC’s Power & Politics. He holds a master’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in public affairs and policy management, both from Carleton University. He also holds master’s degree in arts from Queen’s University. He can be reached at [email protected].

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