Digital sovereignty will keep straining U.S.-Canada trade, says former chief negotiator

At a conference in Ottawa, former Canadian chief trade negotiator Steve Verheul cautioned that digital policy disputes will continue to dominate negotiations with the United States. He highlighted the Online News Act, the Online Streaming Act, and broader data-control issues as core grievances for Washington, which views Canadian measures targeting large tech firms as discriminatory. Verheul explained that Canada’s cultural exemption under the existing trade agreement can only go so far, as it allows the U.S. to retaliate automatically.

To strengthen its position, he suggested Canada work closely with like-minded partners, especially the European Union, to craft a coordinated approach while retaining a degree of autonomy. He added that the CRTC is currently implementing streaming-content rules mandated by the Online Streaming Act. The former negotiator concluded that finding common ground with allies is essential for moving forward in the digital arena.