Canada’s new advisory committee for Canada-United States (US) economic relations is facing criticism for its lack of technology representation.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the group, which replaces the Council on Canada-US Relations established by ex-prime minister Justin Trudeau in early 2025, yesterday. Its launch comes amid a trade war between the US and Canada and ahead of a review of the existing Canada-US-Mexico-Agreement (CUSMA) trade pact slated for this summer.
“We urge the federal government to add expertise to this council that reflects the 21st-century economy.”
Patrick Searle, CCI
The Government of Canada says this committee “will serve as a forum for expertise and strategy on all aspects of the Canada-US economic relationship.” However, Canadian technology leaders, including representatives from Build Canada, the Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI), and the Canadian Shield Institute, are publicly expressing frustration with the fact no members from the country’s tech community are involved.
In a statement, CCI CEO Patrick Searle said the committee excludes the firms “building, owning, and exporting the intangible assets that now define global trade.”
“We urge the federal government to add expertise to this council that reflects the 21st-century economy,” Searle said.
The committee’s 24 members include current and former politicians, as well as folks from traditional Canadian industries like automotive, manufacturing, and natural resources—which, to date, have been more directly impacted by US tariffs than the country’s tech ecosystem.
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But with CUSMA up for review in July, some say it could use more perspective from people who understand what’s at stake when it comes to digital trade and intellectual property (IP).
Canadian Shield Institute managing director Vass Bednar agreed with CCI, arguing in an X post that Canada “need[s] to be mindful about Big Tech playing both sides.” Bednar also highlighted that at least one of the committee’s members, Canadian Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Candace Laing, represents US businesses with a Canadian presence that are also supporting US President Donald Trump’s push for dominance.
“[It’s] disappointing to see that there is not a single founder, startup CEO, tech entrepreneur, VC, or innovation-economy builder on this committee,” Build Canada co-founder and CEO Lucy Hargreaves wrote in her own X post. “This is an old-economy list.”
Lucy Hargreaves,
“This is an old-economy list.”
Build Canada
Not everyone agrees. In a reply to Hargreaves’ X post, Sharan Kaur, a former Liberal staffer who now lobbies the feds on behalf of both SpaceX and TikTok through her role as principal at Navigator, called this disappointment “misguided.” Kaur said, “This is about trade policy, and manufacturing takes the real hit, especially autos,” arguing that “the digital economy is mostly barrier-free aside from labour mobility. We don’t need tech/founder voices on everything.”
Digital trade, telecommunications, and intellectual property (IP) rights are all covered in CUSMA, and Searle argued on X that Canada “got CUSMA wrong in 2018” by allowing the US to shape “critical digital and IP provisions.”
“This isn’t about ‘tech voices,’” Searle added. “It’s about having people who understand an economy driven by intangible assets—IP, data, and standards. We’ve been in this exact spot before. If we all want a deal that’s in the best interest of [Canada], let’s not repeat the past.”
In his statement, Searle noted that, at the moment, “the [US] is shaping the rules for data, platforms, and algorithms through procurement, standards, and trade policy, while Canada remains reactive,” stressing that Canada needs to build the expertise to negotiate effectively as the next phase of CUSMA will dictate who captures value in the global market.
BetaKit has reached out to the Government of Canada for comment.
Feature image courtesy CCI.