International trade lawyers Eric Wildhaber and Serge Fréchette appointed as members
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland has announced the appointments of Eric Wildhaber and Serge Fréchette to the Canada International Trade Tribunal (CITT).
Wildhaber will serve as a temporary member for a three-year term, effective July 25. Meanwhile, Fréchette has been reappointed as a temporary member for an additional term of one year.
“The Canadian International Trade Tribunal is recognized at home and around the world as a centre of excellence in the fair and timely adjudication of trade matters,” Freeland said. “I want to congratulate Mr. Fréchette for continuing his service for an additional term and Mr. Wildhaber for accepting a position as a temporary member.”
Wildhaber has over 20 years of experience in procurement, customs, and trade remedies law. He previously served as a secretary of the CITT.
He began his public service career with the Trade Law Bureau of the Department of Foreign and International Trade. He then worked as a senior legal counsel and took on executive duties for the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal, the Competition Tribunal, the Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada, and the Occupational Health and Safety Tribunal Canada.
He is a member of the Barreau du Québec’s committee for access to the profession and has lectured on tendering and public procurement law at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law – Civil Law Section. He is an alumnus of the Parliamentary Internship Programme − Canada's premier legislative internship program.
Fréchette has been a temporary member since 2018. Between 2006 and 2014, he served as vice-chairperson of the CITT and dispute settlement panelist of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
He then returned to the private sector, where he provided advisory services on matters related to international trade, investment, regulatory affairs, administrative justice, and good governance. He has represented Canada and other parties in several matters before the WTO.
Prior to his initial CITT appointment, he was a senior official with the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. In this role, he became involved in the negotiation and implementation of various international trade agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, known as the “Marrakesh Agreement.”
