Joint statement of the Labour Council – Canada-United States Mexico Agreement

The Labour Council (the Council) of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) held its third meeting in Ottawa on December 9 and 10, 2025, pursuant to Article 23.14 of the Agreement’s Labour Chapter. Senior government representatives from labour and trade ministries, designated by each Party, convened to discuss and address matters within the scope of this Chapter.

The Council meeting was hosted by the Government of Canada, led by Rakesh Patry, Director General of International and Intergovernmental Labour Affairs at Employment and Social Development Canada, and Mary-Catherine Speirs, Director General for Trade Negotiations at Global Affairs Canada. The Mexican delegation was led by Gabriel Alejandro Tamariz Sánchez, Head of the Labor Policy and Institutional Relations Unit, Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare and Antonio Nava Gómez, Director General of International Trade in Services and Investment, Secretariat of Economy. The U.S. delegation was headed by Ana Guevara, Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, and Katy Mastman, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Labor Affairs, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

As sovereign countries, the Parties reaffirmed their commitment to the effective implementation of CUSMA’s Labour Chapter, recognizing its important role in promoting internationally recognized labour rights and fostering positive outcomes for workers throughout North America. They acknowledged that the Labour Chapter continues to serve as an effective framework for advancing labour protections and strengthening collaboration among the three countries.

The Council engaged in trilateral discussions on the implementation of the Labour Chapter, covering regional collaboration, each Party’s enforcement, exchanging technical information on identifying and addressing forced labour in imports, and cooperative and technical assistance initiatives. Each Party provided updates on domestic efforts to implement the prohibition on imports produced by forced labour. The Parties explored opportunities for collaboration and information-sharing to identify forced labour risks in supply chains and discussed practical ways to support businesses in addressing and mitigating these risks.

As required under Article 23.14.5, the Parties conducted the review of the Labour Chapter’s operation and effectiveness, five years after the Agreement’s entry into force. They assessed progress achieved to date, particularly in collaborative engagement and capacity-building, and examined policies, regulatory measures, and legislative initiatives supporting implementation. They took stock of their respective policies, regulatory and legislative initiatives supporting implementation. They also discussed challenges encountered regarding the Chapter’s effective operation since the Agreement entered into force and considered strategies to address such challenges.

The Council also held a public session, providing an opportunity for civil society organizations –including the Osgoode Hall Law School and the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers, the Independent Mexico Labor Expert Board, and the Georgetown Law Center for the Advancement of the Rule of Law in the Americas to share perspectives. The Council reported on its discussions and engaged with the public, who offered comments and posed questions on the implementation of Chapter 23. Following the public session, the Parties considered these insights and exchanged views on how civil society’s perspectives and recommendations could inform effective approaches and actions for the continued implementation of the Labour Chapter.