Overview
- Hillman announced on X that she will step down in the new year and said the timing is meant to let a new team oversee the 2026 review of the North American trade pact.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney praised her service and signaled there is a window to appoint a new envoy before formal review proceedings begin.
- A career trade lawyer, Hillman helped negotiate the USMCA and cited the effort to free Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor from Chinese detention as a defining achievement.
- Bilateral talks with the Trump administration on tariffs stalled in October after an Ontario-funded ad angered the president, halting discussions on steel, aluminum and other sectors.
- The Globe and Mail reported, citing an unnamed source, that Mark Wiseman is being considered for ambassador, a prospect criticized by Conservative and Bloc MPs over past remarks and policy views; the government has not confirmed any appointment.