Apr
21
2026
TABE/CABE Webinar – Geopolitics Series – CUSMA at a Crossroads: Strategic, Economic, and Political Dynamics in the Upcoming Renegotiations
As the mandated review of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) approaches, North America faces renewed uncertainty in trade relations amid shifting political priorities, industrial policy activism, and evolving global supply chains. In this Steve Verheul, Canada’s former Chief Trade Negotiator and a central architect of CUSMA, will provide an insider’s perspective on what Canadian policymakers and businesses should expect from the upcoming renegotiation process.
This session will cover:
– The legal and procedural framework governing CUSMA’s review and potential renegotiation
– Likely pressure points, including rules of origin, dispute settlement, digital trade, agriculture, and industrial subsidies
– The interaction between CUSMA and recent U.S. industrial policies
– Political economy considerations in United States, Canada, and Mexico that could shape negotiating mandates
– Risks and opportunities for North American supply chains in autos, energy, critical minerals, and advanced manufacturing
The session will also assess potential scenarios: limited technical adjustments versus broader structural renegotiation, the risk of dispute escalation, and what stakeholders should monitor as early warning indicators of policy shifts. There will be an opportunity for registrants to ask questions.
The session is part of TABE’s “Middle Power, Major Stakes: Canada in the Era of Geopolitics and Global Rivalry” series.
This session (and series) is being organized and moderated by Alex Ciappara, a TABE Board member.
Steve Verheul
Principal with GT and Company Executive Advisors and president of Steve Verheul Consulting Inc.
Steve Verheul is a principal with GT and Company Executive Advisors and president of Steve Verheul Consulting Inc.
Steve is an accomplished expert on Canadian trade policy and negotiation, having led the development of some of the country’s most significant international agreements.
He retired from the federal public service in October 2022 after a career comprising several senior roles, most recently special advisor on trade policy to the Deputy Minister of Finance. From 2017 to 2021, Steve was assistant deputy minister of the Trade Policy and Negotiations branch of Global Affairs Canada, where he managed more than 300 employees.
He served as Canada’s chief trade negotiator in the creation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (known as “the new NAFTA”), and, before that, in the development of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. He worked on the NAFTA negotiations, the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations — which led to the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) — and the subsequent Doha Round of WTO negotiations.
Steve has won a number of government and industry awards, including the 2018 Career Contribution Award from the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Western University.
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