Before travelling to the United States to discuss the future of the North American trade deal, federal cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc sat down for nearly two hours with oil and gas industry officials, including Cenovus Energy executive vice-president Jeff Lawson.

The session, which included federal Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, delved into the role of energy ahead of an upcoming review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico (CUSMA) trade agreement.

And coming out of Monday’s meeting in Ottawa, the industry and the Carney government appeared to be firmly on the same wavelength.

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“We’re perfectly aligned with the federal government,” Lawson said in an interview.

“The energy trade is so important to both countries, and it’s been such a long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship, where both sides are benefiting . . . We want to do everything we can to preserve that, and I think that we can.”

The meeting also included AltaGas CEO Vern Yu, South Bow CEO Bevin Wirzba and executives from six other companies.

Before his trip to Washington on Tuesday, LeBlanc sent a note to his counterparts in the United States and Mexico, with the Canadian government recommending the trade agreement be renewed for another 16 years.

Energy remains Canada’s largest export product to the United States. Canada is the top foreign supplier of oil and gas to the country,........

© Calgary Herald