ISTANBUL

Canada’s ambassador to the US, Kirsten Hillman, announced she will step down in the new year, as Ottawa and Washington remain deadlocked in key trade discussions.

In a post on X on late Wednesday, Hillman said there is never a “perfect time” to leave such a role, adding that she is grateful for the confidence placed in her “as the Canada-US relationship is being rewritten.”

Hillman has served as envoy since March 2020. She also played a central role in the 2017 renegotiation of the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

The trade pact is currently under mandatory review, and US President Donald Trump has recently hinted that he may choose not to renew it.

In her announcement, Hillman said she will “remain available” to support Canada’s negotiators as they move through the coming months.

“While there will never be a perfect time to leave, this is the right time to put a team in place that will see the CUSMA review through to its conclusion,” she added.

Trade tensions have intensified in recent months after Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian goods and later halted talks over an anti-tariff advertisement aired in the US. While many Canadian and Mexican officials, as well as US businesses, support renewing the pact, Trump has suggested he may allow it to expire, “or we’ll maybe work out another deal with Mexico and Canada.”

Hillman, a veteran diplomat and trade lawyer, received commendations from both US and Canadian officials as word of her resignation spread.

“Ambassador Hillman is a class act,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Tuesday. He added that he does not expect her departure to affect ongoing Canada-US negotiations, but noted that “she’s a good actor.”

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described her as “a real patriot who has served Canadians proudly,” crediting her with helping settle trade disagreements and strengthening the economy.