Why Janice Charette May Be Canada’s Most Quietly Powerful Negotiator

Early in the morning, there is a certain quietness in the corridors of Ottawa’s government buildings, broken only by footsteps and soft voices behind thick wooden doors. It’s easy to picture Janice Charette walking through those hallways with the cool accuracy for which she has earned a reputation, bearing folders full of decisions that don’t often make news but somehow influence everything.

Over the course of her nearly four-decade career, she has touched nearly every nerve center in the Canadian state. Twice serving as clerk of the Privy Council—the country’s most senior public servant—she became, in effect, the person prime ministers relied on when the machinery of government threatened to stall. She seems to have been drawn to responsibility rather than attention, which could be why she keeps coming back when things get complicated.

Her most recent appointment, taking over as Canada’s lead trade negotiator with the United States, comes at an unusually tense time. With tariffs increasing and rhetoric becoming more acerbic, trade negotiations with Washington have once again become unpredictable. As you watch this play out, you get the impression that her choice wasn’t made at random. It implies that stability is more important to the government than showmanship.

She is not what most people think of as a negotiator.

Her name isn’t associated with any widely shared speeches or dramatic gestures. Rather, her reputation is based on perseverance—years of negotiating the intricacies of bureaucracy, quietly influencing policy while others received public recognition. She might have an advantage because of her low profile, which spares her from the political baggage that frequently accompanies elected officials.

In her earlier years, she worked on technical topics that are rarely of public interest, such as federal-provincial relations and privatization. However, those assignments helped to develop a crucial skill: an understanding of the sluggish, unyielding pace of government compromise. It’s difficult to ignore the fact that professions like hers frequently take place in the background, impacting events without ever fully reaching the general public.

In the late 1990s, she took a brief leave of absence from government to work as a consultant and assist in the creation of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. It seems like a revealing time. Although she eventually returned, it demonstrated that she could function outside of the public sector. Maybe despite all its annoyances, public service provided something more durable than personal achievement.

Another layer was added by her diplomatic experience in London.

She witnessed one of the oldest political systems in the world struggle with contemporary uncertainty while serving as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in the wake of Brexit. She was described by diplomats who watched her there as being more interested in listening than speaking and attentive rather than imposing. Whether that restraint is a strategy or an instinct is still unknown.

Her impact was particularly apparent during Canada’s internal conflicts.

She suggested using the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canadian history in 2022, during demonstrations that paralyzed Ottawa. The choice had far-reaching effects and sparked both support and criticism. It’s hard to imagine how tense those weeks must have been, especially as you pass Parliament Hill today, with tourists taking pictures next to statues and security officers standing silently nearby.

Because of her lack of conventional trade-deal credentials, critics have occasionally questioned why she was appointed to trade negotiations. That doubt persists. Negotiating with the United States isn’t merely technical—it’s psychological, shaped by personalities as much as policy. Experience in government may be more important than experience at the actual negotiating table, according to some.

There’s more to her appointment than that.

In times of uncertainty, Canada’s political culture frequently looks to career public servants, relying on institutional memory when political momentum stalls. This dependence may be a sign of both strength and weakness—a lack of new options combined with a belief in continuity.

Despite being under pressure, she is often described by her colleagues as calm.

Soon, that poise might be put to the ultimate test. Trade disputes now impact livelihoods nationwide, ranging from technology to steel. Financial markets, farms, and factories could all be impacted by decisions made in private conference rooms.

One picture in particular seems to best depict her role.

While others argue, a negotiator sits at a long table with papers in order. Awaiting. assessing the situation before reacting.

The work isn’t dramatic. However, it’s the type that determines results.

And Janice Charette, who always comes back when called, appears to know that better than most.