Former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, center, speaks during a town-hall style meeting, Sept. 3, 2024, in Braselton, Ga., in support of a policy tour in support of President Donald Trump.Mike Stewart/The Associated Press
A prominent Canadian conservative think tank has invited the top tariff power broker from Donald Trump’s first cabinet to a conference in Ottawa this week that includes a who’s who of premiers, former politicians and Conservative strategists.
Former U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer, who supports dramatically higher tariffs and dismisses concerns about tanking the global economy, will be the keynote speaker at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference.
The media won’t be allowed to cover his talk, sparking questions from Liberals and New Democrats about why Mr. Lighthizer would be given top billing to preach high tariffs on Canada and other U.S. allies. He was one of Mr. Trump’s top policy consultants in his 2024 campaign and remains an unofficial adviser.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is not speaking at the conference and his party is not formally associated with CSFN, but the think tank has long been a source of policy discussions for federal and provincial Conservatives.
The three-day event, beginning Wednesday, is taking place in the middle of the campaign for the April 28 election as Canada is embroiled in a punitive trade war with the Trump administration over autos, steel and aluminum.
In a statement to The Globe and Mail Monday, CSFN spokesperson Alex Spence said Canadian conservatives should hear insights from senior Republicans on how to deal with the second Trump administration when the U.S. President has unleashed a global economic war and upended bilateral relations.
“Our network is pleased to hear from individuals with unique insights into the thinking behind U.S. policy decisions in these areas, who possess deep knowledge of the current U.S. administration,” Ms. Spence said. “In a moment when the future of the relationship between our two countries is top of mind for many, we are looking forward to an informed, thoughtful dialogue on these issues.”
Mr. Lighthizer will be interviewed Friday by Mark Mulroney, Bank of Nova Scotia vice-chair of global banking and markets. He is the son of the late former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who negotiated free trade with the United States and later Mexico. Mr. Mulroney and his sister, Ontario Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney, are backing Mr. Poilievre’s Conservatives in the election.
The Lighthizer session, however, will be closed to the media and participants must abide by Chatham House rules: They are free to use information from the event but cannot reveal the identity of the speaker.
“Certain sessions are not open to recording at the request of speakers, as a condition of their participation. We honour those commitments in order to facilitate open and candid discussions,” Ms. Spence said.
Liberal MP Ali Ehsassi, who is the Minister of Government Transformation, said he was astounded that CSFN would want to hear Mr. Lighthizer, a well-known evangelist for tariffs.
“It demonstrates poor judgment,” he said. “What makes it very curious is that it’s not open to the public. If they think there is any benefit to inviting Mr. Lighthizer, then why do they think it is appropriate to shield him from public scrutiny?”
The NDP’s Charlie Angus, who is not running again, said the conservative movement in this country is sending a wrong message considering that Canada is in a trade war with the U.S.
“You say to a guy like that, ‘You are not welcome in Canada,’ ” he said. “Canadians are justifiably upset by the threats to our nation. They expect all political parties and political movements will be standing strong for Canada and yet you see these quisling actions.”
Talking to reporters in Edmonton Monday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she will be speaking at the conference and looks forward to what Mr. Lighthizer has to say.
“I think that the former trade ambassador, having an understanding of what might lead to a breakthrough in getting us back to a constructive Canada-U.S. free-trade agreement, sounds like a pretty good conversation to have,” she said.
Two other former Trump cabinet members – ex-homeland security secretary Chad Wolf and veterans affairs secretary Robert Wilkie – are also speaking, as well as the former president of Hungary, Katalin Novak.
Aside from Ms. Smith, the conference will hear from Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, former Alberta premier Jason Kenney, former federal cabinet ministers John Baird and Tony Clement, and Kory Teneycke, the architect of Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s three back-to-back majority victories.
The Liberals have their own informal think tank known as Canada 2020, and have invited former U.S. president Barack Obama and other prominent U.S. Democrats to speak. The Broadbent Institute provides similar policy advice for the NDP. It is holding its own conference in Ottawa this week and invited Canadian and U.S. union leaders and a legislative member of Germany’s Social Democratic Party.
As Mr. Trump’s first trade chief, Mr. Lighthizer espoused the President’s economic nationalism and expansive tariffs. He launched a first-term trade war with China and imposed tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel.
Former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland has spoken positively about dealing with Mr. Lighthizer to rescind aluminum and steel tariffs, leading to a revamped NAFTA, known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Fen Hampson, chancellor’s professor and professor of international affairs at Carleton University, said it’s a good idea for Canadian conservatives to hear from former Trump administration officials.
Mr. Lighthizer was “someone who saw the value of the NAFTA by rejigging to put the U.S. in a stronger position,” he said.
Prof. Hampson said Mr. Trump is now surrounded by high-tech tycoons who want to use tariffs to “beat Europeans and others into submission” so they can have the global share of innovation and tech. Another group are “the industrialists types who want to rebuild manufacturing in the United States,” he said.
Canada Strong and Free Network used to be known as the Manning Centre, which was founded by former Reform leader Preston Manning. He is no longer associated with CSFN.
Mr. Manning recently wrote an opinion piece in The Globe and Mail that said Western alienation is on the rise and the country could break apart if Liberal Leader Mark Carney wins the election.
Ms. Smith has issued a similar warning, saying the winner of the federal election will have six months to roll out policies friendly to the energy industry or face an “unprecedented national unity crisis.”
With a report from Laura Stone