A group of experts is sounding the alarm that Ottawa needs to swiftly make more inroads with Americans, or Canada will be deeply disadvantaged in a looming review of a crucial trade agreement.

害羞草研究所淭ime is running out very rapidly for us,害羞草研究所� said Perrin Beatty, co-chair of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations.

The independent group, which includes former diplomats, policy advisers and business leaders, was created in recent months amid concern Ottawa was 害羞草研究所渟leepwalking害羞草研究所� ahead of a 2026 review of the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement, Beatty said.

A new report from the expert group says Canada must get its house in order before formal talks begin. It calls on Ottawa to develop and initiate a clear strategy, appoint a chief negotiator and engage with Canada害羞草研究所檚 business community.

害羞草研究所淭he train is fast moving out of the station,害羞草研究所� said Beatty, also president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Negotiation of CUSMA, commonly dubbed 害羞草研究所渢he new NAFTA害羞草研究所� in Canada, was a key test for Ottawa following Donald Trump害羞草研究所檚 victory in the 2016 presidential election.

害羞草研究所淭he new NAFTA is a victory for all Canadians, of every political view, and in all regions of the country,害羞草研究所� Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said in January 2020. 害羞草研究所淚t has been a real Team Canada effort.害羞草研究所�

Even so, Robert Lighthizer, Trump害羞草研究所檚 trade representative, critically recounted in his book how Canada handled the renegotiation, saying at one point the two countries weren害羞草研究所檛 speaking and 害羞草研究所淣AFTA was hanging on by a thread.害羞草研究所�

The new report describes Trump害羞草研究所檚 current relationship with the Liberal government as 害羞草研究所渃hilly at best.害羞草研究所� If Trump returns to the White House, he is likely to set his sights on disrupting global trade and has already signalled plans for a 10 per cent tariff on imports.

It doesn害羞草研究所檛 necessarily mean Canada can ease up efforts under a Democratic president. Joe Biden largely kept Trump害羞草研究所檚 tariffs in place, despite promises to reverse them. There was also tension over the Biden administration害羞草研究所檚 Buy American procurement rules.

Many expect Kamala Harris, working to secure the Democratic nomination after Biden ended his run, will follow the path of her predecessor on Canada-U.S. relations. Harris, however, was one of 10 U.S. senators to vote against the trilateral agreement under Trump, saying it didn害羞草研究所檛 do enough to protect American workers or the environment.

The federal government is tracking views about the agreement in Canada, the United States and Mexico, said Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Jean-Pierre Godbout. Ottawa is eyeing a range of potential scenarios for review, he said.

害羞草研究所淲hen the time comes, the government will be ready to advance and defend Canadian interests,害羞草研究所� Godbout said in an email.

Beatty said the problem is the relationship between the two countries has 害羞草研究所渟hifted from being strategic to being transactional.害羞草研究所� In addition, Canada has become a less important trade partner to the U.S. compared with other places in the world.

Ottawa will have to sell Canada害羞草研究所檚 importance for other things like security, said Fen Hampson, co-chair of the expert group.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not going to be easy,害羞草研究所� said Hampson, a professor of international affairs at Carleton University. 害羞草研究所淲e really have to up our game.害羞草研究所�

Industry Minister Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne is making regular visits south of the border as part of the Team Canada engagement strategy. Canada害羞草研究所檚 ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, has been pounding the pavement from state to state, and attended the recent Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where she made Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 case.

But the report says there are limits to Canada害羞草研究所檚 charm offensive. Americans are taking a closer look at Canada, but not in a good way.

Trudeau faced significant pressure over Canada害羞草研究所檚 defence spending while in Washington for the NATO leaders害羞草研究所� summit earlier this month.

The prime minister promised to meet NATO害羞草研究所檚 target, the equivalent of two per cent of gross domestic product, by 2032. But he has been criticized for the lengthy timeline and a lack of detail on how Ottawa will make it happen.

Americans across political lines have also been extremely critical of Canada害羞草研究所檚 new tax on large foreign digital services companies. The Office of the United States Trade Representative has said it will do what害羞草研究所檚 necessary to stop the tax.

Canada must stop 害羞草研究所減ulling at the tail feathers of the American eagle,害羞草研究所� positioning Canada as part of the solution instead of part of the problem, Beatty said.

That means the federal government should develop a Hippocratic Oath, like the one taken by physicians, he said.

害羞草研究所淔irst do no harm.害羞草研究所�