Mary-Catherine Speirs

Mary-Catherine Speirs was appointed as Director General for Trade Negotiations at Global Affairs Canada and Canada’s Chief Negotiator for the Canada-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement negotiations in August 2024. She joined Global Affairs Canada as a Foreign Service Officer in 2001. Prior to her current role, she was the Director General for North American Trade Policy from 2023-2024. 

Mary-Catherine has held a number of trade policy positions, including as Executive Director for Trade Policy and Negotiations (Asia), serving as Deputy Chief Negotiator for the Comprehensive and Progressive Transpacific Partnership (CPTPP), as well as Director responsible for Trade Policy and Negotiations (Europe, Middle East, Africa and Americas). She has also worked in commercial relations with China, on regulatory cooperation (at the Treasury Board Secretariat) and in the office of the Deputy Minister of Trade.