Mark Warner Testified Before the Canadian House of Commons’ Standing Committee on International Trade

Mark Warner appeared before the Canadian House of Commons’ Standing Committee on International Trade as part of its study of the Canada-U.S. relationship and its impact on softwood lumber trade. (March 23, 2022) Mark’s opening statement is here along with responses to questions from Bonita Zarrillo, M.P. and Tracy Gray, M.P.

Mark is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced in Toronto, Washington, DC and New York and has advised governments on trade policy and trade negotiations and previously worked on trade and competition issues as counsel in the OECD Trade Directorate. Mark also provides international trade and investment law advice to natural resources clients on trade agreements, trade remedies, sanctions, export and import controls, anti-corruption, corporate social responsibility and compliance issues as a colleague at Pilot Law which provides comprehensive legal services for developing resource businesses in the mining, energy and renewables sectors.

Mark was Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade and led Ontario’s legal team in the for trade negotiations (including the Canada-EU Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement), provided advice on advised on trade disputes (including softwood lumber and the Green Energy Act WTO dispute settlement proceedings) and advised on various NAFTA Chapter 11 investor-state dispute arbitrations (including the Ambassador Bridge, Adam’s Mine and St. Mary’s Cement).

Mr. Warner also led the Ontario’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler, and various grant and loan agreements to leading automotive and automotive parts companies, including to electric car battery manufacturer, Electrovaya and a Better Place demonstration centre and electric vehicle charging station network.

At the OECD, Mark participated in the negotiations of the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment and represented the OECD at meetings of the WTO Working Groups on Trade and Competition Policies and Trade and Investment Policies. He is also a past Chair of the International and Economics Committees of the American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law as well as a member of the Section’s Task Forces on Competition Policy and NAFTA and Antitrust in the Global Economy. Mark was also co-author of a leading Canadian trade law treatise (with the Hon. William C. Graham and Professors Jean-Gabriel Castel and Armand de Mestral).

Mark Warner Talks About Vaccine Mandates for Truckers, Auto Rules of Origin Dispute and Wordle Intellectual Property Issues on the CBC Weekend Business Panel

Mark Warner was featured on the CBC Weekend Business Panel talking about vaccine mandates, trucking and cross-border supply chains, the Canada and Mexico challenge to the U.S. calculation of rules of origin in the United States Mexico Canada Trade Agreement and intellectual property issues in the Wordle online game. (January 15, 2022) Mr. Warner is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced in Toronto, Washington, DC and New York and has advised governments on trade policy and trade negotiations and previously worked on trade and competition issues as counsel in the OECD Trade Directorate and participated in the negotiations of the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment and represented the OECD at meetings of the WTO Working Groups on Trade and Competition Policies and Trade and Investment Policies.

Mr. Warner was Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade and advised Ontario in the Canada-EU Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations advised on matters including: Cross Border Trade in Services; Temporary Entry and Stay of Natural Persons for Business Purposes; Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications; and Regulatory Cooperation. Mr. Warner led the Ontario’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler, and various grant and loan agreements to leading automotive and automotive parts companies, including to electric car battery manufacturer, Electrovaya and and a Better Place demonstration centre and electric vehicle charging station network. Mr. Warner also advised the Auto Parts Manufacturing Association on NAFTA renegotiation issues.

As Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, Mark also led Ontario’s legal team in creating the $250 million Ontario Emerging Technologies Fund, the $205 million Ontario Venture Capital Fund and establishing the Ontario Capital Growth Corporation and advised on research and innovation grants and loans to academics, universities and corporations. Mark chaired an Insight Research Canadian Sharing Economy Symposium in Toronto in 2015. As a former Acting Legal Director for the Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services, Mark was responsible for prosecutions under the provincial consumer protection laws and regulations. Mark’s experience with online technologies and e-commerce includes: participating in OECD-wide policy work on laws and regulations affecting e-commerce, acting as Chair, ICC Competition Commission Working Party on E-Commerce and Competition Policy, serving as an original ICANN domain name dispute resolution arbitrator for eResolution and WIPO and as Rapporteur of the Hague Conference on Private International Law Commission on Jurisdiction for Torts in Electronic Commerce.

Mark Warner Interviewed on CTV About Canada and Mexico’s Challenge to the U.S. Calculation of Rules of Origin for Autos in the New NAFTA

Mark Warner was interviewed on CTV Your Morning [beginning at 1:43:14] about Canada joining with Mexico to dispute how U.S. interprets auto rules of origin under the United States Canada Mexico Trade Agreement. (January 14, 2021) Mr. Warner is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced in Toronto, Washington, DC and New York and has advised governments on trade policy and trade negotiations and previously worked on trade and competition issues as counsel in the OECD Trade Directorate and participated in the negotiations of the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment and represented the OECD at meetings of the WTO Working Groups on Trade and Competition Policies and Trade and Investment Policies.  

Mr. Warner was Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade led Ontario’s legal team in the CETA negotiations, provided advice on the design of the Green Energy Act and related WTO dispute settlement proceedings, advised on various NAFTA Chapter 11 investor-state arbitration and on procurement issues in the Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement. Mr. Warner led the Ontario’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler, and various grant and loan agreements to leading automotive and automotive parts companies, including to electric car battery manufacturer, Electrovaya and and a Better Place demonstration centre and electric vehicle charging station network. Mr. Warner also advised the Auto Parts Manufacturing Association on NAFTA renegotiation issues. He is co-author of a leading Canadian trade law treatise, has also published numerous articles and has been invited to speak at conferences around the world.

Mark Warner Featured in the Globe and Mail Talking About Canada and Mexico’s Challenge to the U.S. Calculation of Rules of Origin for Autos in the New NAFTA

Mark Warner was featured in a Globe and Mail article about Canada joining with Mexico to dispute how U.S. interprets auto rules of origin under the United States Canada Mexico Trade Agreement. (January 13, 2021) Mr. Warner is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced in Toronto, Washington, DC and New York and has advised governments on trade policy and trade negotiations and previously worked on trade and competition issues as counsel in the OECD Trade Directorate and participated in the negotiations of the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment and represented the OECD at meetings of the WTO Working Groups on Trade and Competition Policies and Trade and Investment Policies.  

Mr. Warner was Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade led Ontario’s legal team in the CETA negotiations, provided advice on the design of the Green Energy Act and related WTO dispute settlement proceedings, advised on various NAFTA Chapter 11 investor-state arbitration and on procurement issues in the Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement. Mr. Warner led the Ontario’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler, and various grant and loan agreements to leading automotive and automotive parts companies, including to electric car battery manufacturer, Electrovaya and and a Better Place demonstration centre and electric vehicle charging station network. Mr. Warner also advised the Auto Parts Manufacturing Association on NAFTA renegotiation issues. He is co-author of a leading Canadian trade law treatise, has also published numerous articles and has been invited to speak at conferences around the world.

Mark Warner Featured by Canadian Press Talking About Canada and Mexico’s Challenge to the U.S. Calculation of Rules of Origin for Autos in the New NAFTA

Mark Warner was featured in a Canadian Press article about Canada joining Mexico in dispute with U.S. over how much of a car or truck must be made in North America to qualify for duty-free treatment under the United States Canada Mexico Trade Agreement. (January 13, 2021) Mr. Warner is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced in Toronto, Washington, DC and New York and has advised governments on trade policy and trade negotiations and previously worked on trade and competition issues as counsel in the OECD Trade Directorate and participated in the negotiations of the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment and represented the OECD at meetings of the WTO Working Groups on Trade and Competition Policies and Trade and Investment Policies.  

Mr. Warner was Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade led Ontario’s legal team in the CETA negotiations, provided advice on the design of the Green Energy Act and related WTO dispute settlement proceedings, advised on various NAFTA Chapter 11 investor-state arbitration and on procurement issues in the Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement. Mr. Warner led the Ontario’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler, and various grant and loan agreements to leading automotive and automotive parts companies, including to electric car battery manufacturer, Electrovaya and and a Better Place demonstration centre and electric vehicle charging station network. Mr. Warner also advised the Auto Parts Manufacturing Association on NAFTA renegotiation issues. He is co-author of a leading Canadian trade law treatise, has also published numerous articles and has been invited to speak at conferences around the world.

Mark Warner Featured on CBC News Year End Weekend Business Panel on the top Business Stories in 2021 and What to Look for in 2022

Mark Warner was participated in the CBC News Year End Weekend Business Panel discussion reflecting on the biggest business story of the past year, the pharmaceutical CEOs on Santa’s nice list, the impact of Covid19 on inflation and supply chains in the new year and the proposed North American railway merger to track in the new year. (December 18, 2021) Mr. Warner is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced in Toronto, Washington, D.C., New York and Brussels and has advised governments on trade policy and trade negotiations. As counsel at the OECD Trade Directorate in Paris, Mark advised on on other trade and competition issues and represented the OECD at meetings of the WTO Working Group on Trade and Competition and Working Group on Trade and Investment. Mark has advised clients on a wide-range of antitrust / competition matters in the transport sector, including aviation and railway mergers.

Mr. Warner was Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade led Ontario’s legal team in the CETA negotiations, provided advice on the design of the Green Energy Act and related WTO dispute settlement proceedings, advised on various NAFTA Chapter 11 investor-state arbitration and on procurement issues in the Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement. Mr. Warner led the Ontario’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler in the difficult context of the 2008-2009 Recession, and advised on economic development, research and innovation grants and loans to corporations.

Mark has assisted pharmaceutical clients in the global distribution of HIV / AIDS anti-retroviral drugs and the development of innovative patient access programs in the developing world. In the negotiations of the CETA Mark advised Ontario including on IP, patent litigation and drug reimbursement issues as well as Cross Border Trade in Services; Temporary Entry and Stay of Natural Persons for Business Purposes; Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications; and Regulatory Cooperation.

Mark Warner Interviewed on CTV National News About the “Three Amigos” Summit Among North American Leaders

Mark Warner was interviewed on CTV National News about possible trade issues for discussion in the November 18th trilateral meeting with U.S. President Biden, Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés López Obrador in Washington, D.C. (November 10, 2021) Mr. Warner is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced in Toronto, Washington, D.C., New York and Brussels and has advised governments on trade policy and trade negotiations and previously worked on trade and competition issues as counsel in the OECD Trade Directorate. Mr. Warner was Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade and led Ontario’s legal team for trade negotiations (including the Canada-EU Trade Agreement and the Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement), advised on trade disputes (including the Green Energy Act and related WTO dispute settlement proceedings, and softwood lumber) and on various NAFTA Chapter 11 investor-state arbitration. Mr. Warner also led the Province’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler. He is co-author of a leading Canadian trade law treatise, has also published numerous articles and has been invited to speak at conferences around the world.

Mark Warner Participated in a Panel Discussion on Cross-border Commerce, COVID-19, and Strengthening Regional Economies

Mark Warner participated in a panel on cross-border commerce, COVID-19, and strengthening regional economies at the International Legislators’ Forum sponsored by the Consensus Council. (October 26, 2021) Mark is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced trade, investment and competition law in leading law firms in Toronto, Washington, D.C, New York and Brussels and has advised governments on competition law and policy. As counsel at the OECD Trade Directorate in Paris, Mark participated in the negotiations of the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment and represented the OECD at meetings of the WTO Working Groups on Trade and Competition Policies and Trade and Investment Policies.

Mark has also served as Legal Director of the Ontario Ministries of Economic Development & Trade, Research & Innovation and Consumer Services. He led Ontario’s legal team for trade negotiations (including the Canada-EU Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement), advised on trade disputes (including the Green Energy Act and softwood lumber) and various NAFTA Chapter 11 investor-state disputes (including the Ambassador Bridge, Adam’s Mine and St. Mary’s Cement claims).  Mark also led the Ontario’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler, and various grant and loan agreements to leading automotive and automotive parts companies and advised the Auto Parts Manufacturing Association on NAFTA renegotiation issues.

Mark has assisted pharmaceutical clients in the global distribution of HIV / AIDS anti-retroviral drugs and the development of innovative patient access programs in the developing world. In the negotiations of the CETA Mark advised Ontario including on IP, patent litigation and drug reimbursement issues as well as Cross Border Trade in Services; Temporary Entry and Stay of Natural Persons for Business Purposes; Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications; and Regulatory Cooperation.

Mark Warner Talks About Supply Chain Bottlenecks, the U.S. Land Border and an Instacart Strike on the CBC Weekend Business Panel

Mark Warner was featured on the CBC Weekend Business Panel talking about global supply chain bottlenecks, the opening of the Canada-U.S. land border and whether a possible Instacart worker strike portends a new era of labour strife. (October 16, 2021) Mr. Warner is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced in Toronto, Washington, DC and New York and has advised governments on trade policy and trade negotiations and previously worked on trade and competition issues as counsel in the OECD Trade Directorate and participated in the negotiations of the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment and represented the OECD at meetings of the WTO Working Groups on Trade and Competition Policies and Trade and Investment Policies.

Mr. Warner was Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade and advised Ontario in the Canada-EU Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations advised on matters including: Cross Border Trade in Services; Temporary Entry and Stay of Natural Persons for Business Purposes; Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications; and Regulatory Cooperation. Mr. Warner led Ontario’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler, and various grant and loan agreements to leading automotive and automotive parts companies and advised the Auto Parts Manufacturing Association on NAFTA renegotiation issues. Mr. Warner also advised on procurement issues in the Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement, on several NAFTA Chapter 11 Investor-State arbitrations.

He is co-author of a leading Canadian trade law treatise, has also published numerous articles and has been invited to speak at conferences around the world.

Mark Warner Interviewed About Whether Trade Issues Will Arise in the Canadian Federal Election

Mark Warner was interviewed on Global News Radio 630 CHED in Edmonton about whether trade issues will arise in the Canadian Federal Election. (August 23, 2021) Mr. Warner is a Canadian and U.S. lawyer who has practiced in Toronto, Washington, D.C., New York and Brussels and has advised governments on trade policy and trade negotiations and previously worked on trade and competition issues as counsel in the OECD Trade Directorate. Mr. Warner was Legal Director of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade and led Ontario’s legal team for trade negotiations (including the Canada-EU Trade Agreement and the Canada-U.S. Agreement on Government Procurement), advised on trade disputes (including the Green Energy Act and related WTO dispute settlement proceedings, and softwood lumber) and on various NAFTA Chapter 11 investor-state arbitration. Mr. Warner also led the Province’s legal team for the insolvency / restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler. He is co-author of a leading Canadian trade law treatise, has also published numerous articles and has been invited to speak at conferences around the world.


Mark Warner on 630 CHED Mornings