Al Dewar serves on both the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers and the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters, which puts him in a unique position to understand multiple perspectives of the industry. Dewar is executive vice president of GHY International, one of North America’s longest-serving customs brokers. His talk at the AIAG North American Customs & Trade Town Hall on November 6, 2025, at Elevate in Detroit, will provide a Canadian trade update focused primarily on CARM (Canada Border Services Agency Assessment and Revenue Management), tariffs, and what’s ahead.
AIAG: How would you characterize the U.S.-Canada trade climate at this time?
Dewar: The U.S.-Canada trade relationship remains critically important to both economies, but it is facing new administrative and regulatory friction points. A significant point is CARM, formally cited by the Executive Office of the President as a Foreign Trade Barrier. This reflects growing concern that regulatory complexity fuels trade disruption.
In Canada, scrutiny is intensifying. The House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade has raised concerns, and the Auditor General is investigating. This indicates growing recognition — even domestically — that CARM’s current implementation is falling short of its intended goals.
AIAG: What are you expecting as far as emerging trade agreements between the U.S. and Canada, and how will it affect the auto industry?
Dewar: We don’t anticipate a new bilateral trade agreement in the near term, but targeted updates to existing frameworks like USMCA are likely — particularly around rules of origin, regional content, and supply chains.
The auto industry will remain a key focus. We expect tightening of content thresholds, possibly aligned with incentives, environmental criteria, or traceability requirements. Vigilance and adaptability will be necessary to remain compliant and competitive.
AIAG: What can AIAG North American Customs & Trade Town Hall attendees expect to gain from your presentation, and who is this talk designed for?
Dewar: Attendees will gain a realistic, up-to-date understanding of CARM’s post-launch status — from what’s functional to what remains problematic. CARM isn’t just an accounting system; it’s the CBSA’s official lens into each importer’s books and records and will be used for audits, enforcement, and compliance reviews going forward.
This session will provide practical insight and strategic clarity — highlighting both the operational pain points and the critical role of system integrity (internal or third-party) in meeting your compliance obligations. It is geared toward importers, exporters, and customs brokers; trade compliance professionals; logistics and supply chain managers; and legal, finance, and executive leaders managing risk in cross-border operations, as well as anyone affected by CARM or broader U.S.–Canada trade shifts.
AIAG: What action do you want your audience to take after your presentation?
Dewar: We anticipate attendees will review and adjust workflows, especially around notifications, financial security, penalty tracking, and document retention. It would be wise for them to strengthen internal processes to align with CARM’s current and future-state requirements and continue advocating for improvements through industry associations and government channels.
Reserve your spot at AIAG’s popular North American Customs & Free Trade Town Hall today.
