Moving at speeds previously seen in many generations of Canadian governments — slowly and the opposite of what he promised — Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday unveiled his new Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations.

It replaces, after almost 15 months, former PM Justin Trudeau’s Council on Canada-U.S. Relations appointed on Jan. 16, 2025.

At 24 members, it is 26% bigger than the 19 on Trudeau’s panel, contrary to Carney’s promises of running a tighter, more efficient government.

While Carney is perfectly entitled to appoint his own advisers, waiting until just two months before the technical July 1 Canada Day deadline for the U.S., Canada and Mexico to decide whether to renew the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) on trade for 16 years until 2042 — which few believe will happen — is cutting it very close.

The alternatives are for the three countries to conduct annual reviews of CUSMA (or as the US calls it, USMCA) until 2042, or for any country to withdraw with six months’ written notice.

While Carney’s group will be chaired by his point man on Canada-U.S. trade negotiations, federal cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc, we suspect this announcement is largely for show — to create the impression the federal government is working hard to renew CUSMA, while providing political cover if it doesn’t.

What’s alarming is that Mexico is reportedly far further ahead in its talks with the U.S. than Canada.

In the real world, CUSMA is vital to our economy since it allows 85% of our exports to the U.S. to enter tariff free.

Three members from Trudeau’s advisory group are on Carney’s — former Quebec Liberal premier and federal Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Jean Charest; Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’​ Association; and union leader Lana Payne, national president of Unifor.

Carney’s group also includes some new bipartisan appointments — former federal Conservative leader Erin O’Toole and Lisa Raitt, a former cabinet minister in Conservative PM Stephen Harper’s cabinet — along with Ralph Goodale, former Liberal finance minister and high commissioner to the U.K. — and P.J. Akeeagok, the former premier of Nunavut, which has no political parties.

The rest are mainly CEOs and presidents of Canadian companies hardest hit by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.