Canada’s US ambassador Kirsten Hillman to step down ahead of trade agreement review

Canada’s ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, announced on Tuesday that she will resign next year, as the two countries prepare to review the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Hillman has held the post for six years and is one of Canada’s longest-serving ambassadors to Washington.

In a letter to Canadian officials, Hillman said it was the “right time” to appoint a successor who will oversee negotiations for the USMCA review scheduled for 2026.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney praised Hillman for laying the groundwork for the upcoming talks and noted her historic tenure as the first woman to serve as Canada’s ambassador to the US, a role she assumed in 2019 after serving as deputy ambassador since 2017 under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

During her tenure, Hillman played a key role in trade negotiations during President Donald Trump’s first term and helped secure the release of two Canadians detained in China. She also co-led ongoing US-Canada trade discussions alongside Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister responsible for trade, engaging with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra lauded Hillman on social media, calling her an “awesome and well-respected” contributor to the bilateral relationship.

Hillman’s departure comes as Canada and the US navigate a delicate trade environment. In October, Trump abruptly ended talks with Carney following a controversial anti-tariff advertisement by the Ontario provincial government, though tensions over trade issues have since eased.

Trade with the US remains vital for Canada, which sends more than 75 per cent of its exports south of the border. Under the USMCA, most Canadian exports to the US are exempt from tariffs, but the deal is now due for review.

Canada supplies about 60 per cent of US crude oil imports, 85 per cent of US electricity imports, and is the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminium, and uranium. The country also possesses 34 critical minerals and metals sought by the Pentagon for national security purposes.

Prime Minister Carney has expressed ambitions to double Canada’s trade with nations outside the US over the next decade, highlighting the broader strategic importance of diversifying trade beyond the country’s southern neighbour.

With PTI inputs