Report

On January 21 and 22, 2026, the Honourable Senator Michael L. MacDonald and Richard Bragdon, M.P., Co-Chairs of the Canadian Section of the Canada–United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (the Group), led a delegation to Washington, D.C., to attend the Transportation Border Summit hosted by the Future Borders Coalition (FBC). In addition to the co-chairs, the delegation was comprised of Senator Marty Deacon and members of Parliament Lisa Hepfner and Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay. Alison Brown, Association Secretary, and Sarah Lemelin-Bellerose, Advisor of the Library of Parliament, accompanied the delegation.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE CANADA–UNITED STATES INTER-PARLIAMENTARY GROUP

Established over 60 years ago, the Canada–U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group has four key objectives: find points of convergence in the two countries’ respective national policies; initiate dialogue on points of divergence; encourage exchanges of information; and promote better understanding among Canadian and American parliamentarians on shared issues of concern. Members of the Canadian Section of the Group advance their objectives primarily through meetings with their U.S. congressional counterparts held in Washington, D.C. or in Ottawa, and occasionally in other parts of Canada and the United States. They also collaborate with U.S. state governors and legislators during national and regional conferences in various parts of the United States, and sometimes in Canada.

ACTIVITIES DURING THE MISSION TO WASHINGTON

The primary focus of the Canadian Section of the Group’s visit to Washington was to attend the Transportation Border Summit hosted by the FBC, a bi-national group of Canada–U.S. organizations dedicated to advancing the efficiency and security of the border between the two countries.

In addition, the visit provided a strategic opportunity for delegates to strengthen and expand their ties with a variety of key stakeholders, including members of the U.S. Congress, officials from the Embassy of Canada in Washington and other Canada–U.S. stakeholders. These discussions laid the groundwork for the Canadian Section’s upcoming mission to Congress, scheduled for March 2026, and were of special importance in the current economic and political context, particularly in relation to the upcoming Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) review.

Transportation Border Summit

The 2026 Transportation Border Summit was held over a two-day period. Delegates attended the FBC Speakers’ Dinner on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. A number of stakeholders made opening statements, including David Paterson, Ontario’s Representative in Washington. On Thursday, January 22, 2026, delegates participated in a broad range of discussions with parliamentarians, officials from Canadian and U.S. federal departments, and stakeholders from multiple sectors.

The discussions covered a number of themes, including making the border more secure; using different kinds of technology to streamline the movement of goods and people on both sides of the border; the importance of marine shipping corridors; and the upcoming CUSMA review. The discussions underscored that the challenges of managing borders, trade and security facing Canada and the United States are fundamentally joint issues that require coordinated and pragmatic solutions. Some of the panellists’ remarks are captured in the following overview:

• Kevin Brosseau, Canada’s Fentanyl Czar, noted that since he took office a year ago, he has met with hundreds of stakeholders from various sectors, including members of academia, law enforcement officials and representatives of community associations. He explained that his approach is primarily focused on sharing information, enhancing cross-jurisdictional collaboration and reducing the demand for fentanyl.

• An official from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discussed the U.S. approach to countering the purchase of goods produced with forced labour. She explained that the CBP is increasing its use of technology to enhance compliance and seizures. She stressed that buyers have an important role in identifying the full origin of goods at every step of the supply chain to more effectively address the purchase of goods produced with forced labour.

• Another CBP official highlighted the significant U.S. investments made at the border, including the recruitment of an additional 5,000 customs officers. He acknowledged that Canada has also made investments at the border but underscored the need to coordinate both countries’ efforts to make them comparable in scope and to keep their areas of focus aligned.

• An official from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) addressed modernizing travel and ports. She noted that the CBSA has made progress with the Digital Traveller Experience and is using data to more effectively identify low-risk travellers. The official noted that harmonization with the United States is still a challenge due to differences in systems, and this makes it critical to share reliable data.

• According to one panellist, a trade lawyer, Canadian officials must look to stakeholders and the people on the ground to facilitate discussions and implement trade agreements between both countries. He noted that the people on the ground, those who are directly involved in trade and operations, are often better placed to solve problems.

Visit with Congressional Representatives

The delegation started its visit with a briefing at the Embassy of Canada in Washington to gain insight on dynamics in D.C overall and also specifically on issues related to the Canada–U.S. relationship.

The delegates then met through the day with Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Section of the Inter-Parliamentary Group. The meetings touched on various topics, including making the land border between the two countries more secure; U.S. tariffs on imports; bilateral irritants; and opportunities for collaboration in the current environment. Members of Congress addressed several issues with the delegates from the Canadian Section, including the following:

• Several representatives spoke positively about Canada’s efforts to boost security along its land border with the United States over the past year. They noted that the illegal crossings of people and some goods have decreased over the past year and that this is no longer a key issue in Canada–U.S. relations.

• The representatives shared a variety of perspectives on U.S. tariffs on imports and noted that their constituents generally tend to pay attention to this issue only when they are directly impacted by the tariffs.

• Several representatives noted that a large share of trade in goods between the two countries is covered by CUSMA, and this has reduced the impact on Canada’s economy of new U.S. tariffs on imports. However, Canadian delegates pointed out that, all the same, these customs tariffs have a major impact on some sectors of Canada’s economy, including the steel sector.

• One representative noted that many Americans do not realize that Canada is their number one export market for American-built cars. He added that the automotive sector is currently dealing with great uncertainty related to the trade context and the choice between manufacturing electric or gas-powered vehicles.

• According to one representative, the upcoming mid-term elections may result in significant changes to the political landscape. In his opinion, if the Democrats were to gain control of the House of Representatives or even the Senate, they may have an opportunity to try to place limits on some of the U.S. President’s actions.

• One representative compared trade relations to a balancing act, with each partner needing to contribute their fair share for the relationship to succeed. In his view, there is a need to have experts review the balance of trade and identify more effective policies. He added that public policy is never perfect, and as such, it is important to maintain flexibility when new policies are introduced so that adjustments can be made, should some elements not work properly.

• A representative likened the current situation between Canada and the United States to a passing storm, after which the sun would shine again. In response, some members of the delegation pointed out that storms can leave damages in their wake.

CONCLUSION

The Canadian Section of the Inter-Parliamentary once again visited Washington, D.C. during a critical time for the relationship between Canada and the United States. In the context of trade and economic uncertainty between the two countries, Canadian delegates reminded U.S. representatives of the importance of this partnership for their respective economies.

The visit gave members of the Group an opportunity to engage in candid discussions with long-standing partners and to underscore potential avenues for collaboration. All participants noted that, in challenging periods, it is critical to maintain strong interpersonal relationships and to focus on the elements of the relationship that are working well. The discussions reaffirmed that Canada and the U.S. are not only trading partners but also allies, and they revealed a cautious but shared optimism about the strength and long-term nature of this relationship.

Travel Expenses

Travel expenses associated with this activity can be found in the delegation’s financial report. This report is available in the Financial Disclosure section of the Parliamentary Diplomacy website.