Universities launching commission on Canada-U.S. relations

The flags of Canada and the United States fly outside a hotel in downtown Ottawa, on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA — A new binational commission is launching this week to explore the future of Canada-U.S. relations.

A news release said the commission is being led by the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University, the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the Centre for International Governance Innovation.

It will be co-chaired by former Conservative cabinet minister Lisa Raitt and former U.S. congresswoman Jane Harman.

The commission, the release said, will bring together senior leaders and policy experts from both countries to examine options for long-term bilateral co-operation.

It will look into how the countries can strengthen co-operation in areas such as trade, energy, critical minerals, defence and technology. 

The commission is set to meet in Ottawa, Baltimore, Montreal and Washington over the next year and a half, with a final report to be released by late 2027.

The release said the commission will launch on May 1 in Washington, D.C., and on May 27 in Ottawa, with a group of commissioners to be announced soon.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2026.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press