Matthew is a partner in the Competition, International Trade and Foreign Investment Group of our Toronto office. He specializes in cross-border compliance and dispute resolution under trade agreements, investment treaties and Canadian law.
He assists business and government clients from around the world in trade negotiations and disputes under agreements such as the WTO Agreement, the USMCA and the CPTPP; in trade remedy proceedings; and in navigating economic sanctions and export control laws.
Matthew has led legal teams in WTO panel and Appellate Body proceedings in matters involving subsidies, dumping, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers and tariffs, and in investment arbitrations under the NAFTA.
Matthew was previously Director-General of the Government of Canada’s Trade Law Bureau (from 2009–2012) and served in the Bureau for fifteen years. He was Canada’s chief legal counsel in the negotiation of the CETA with the European Union and various other trade and investment treaty negotiations. He began his career as a foreign service officer, including a posting to the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., where he focused on trade and economic sanctions legislation and trans-border resource and environmental issues.
Matthew teaches international trade and investment arbitration as an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law and is appointed to Canada’s rosters of panelists under the USMCA and the CETA.
Representative Work
*Prior to joining Osler:
Alberta Softwood Lumber Trade Council in trade remedy and dispute settlement proceedings in the Canada-US softwood lumber dispute
Government of the United Kingdom
A Canadian dairy industry association in USMCA and CPTPP disputes regarding tariff-rate quota administration
Canusa Wood Products Limited, Hardwoods Specialty Products LP, McCorry & Co. Ltd. and Panoply Wood Products Inc. in a trade remedy investigation and judicial review proceedings
Ashley Furniture Industries LLC and Violino Hong Kong Ld. in a Canadian International Trade Tribunal injury inquiry
CIMC Vehicles (Group) Co., Ltd. and Groupe St-Henri in a Canadian International Trade Tribunal injury inquiry
An SOE in a Gulf state with respect to the application of investment treaty obligations
A Canadian mining company with respect to a potential investment treaty dispute
The investment arm of a Canadian financial institution with respect to Russia-related sanctions compliance by an acquisition target
International maritime transportation companies with respect to the operation of Canadian economic sanctions and export controls
Latest Insights
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Report Dec 5, 2024
The burden of protectionism: outlook for Canadian trade
The growing global trend towards protectionist trade policies is creating future trade uncertainty for businesses.
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Osler Update Nov 20, 2024
Past performance suggests future results: what a second Trump presidency means for Canadian trade
Canada’s uniquely close economic ties with the U.S. make it particularly vulnerable during the second Trump presidency.
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Osler Update Jul 29, 2024
New Digital Services Tax Act raises trade retaliation risk for Canadian exporters
Canada’s Digital Services Tax Act imposes a 3% tax on digital services revenue, but could prompt retaliatory tariffs by the United States.
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Webinar Jun 7, 2024
Canada’s Forced Labour Import Ban and Other Energy-Related Trade Issues
Canada's import ban on goods produced by forced or child labour, introduced in 2020 and expanded by the Fighting Against Forced Labour and...
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Awards and Recognition
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Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in International Trade/WTO – Nationwide (Band 1)
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Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Business Lawyers 20233: International Trade/WTO
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2023: International Trade Regulation
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The Legal 500 2023: International Trade
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Who’s Who Legal: Trade and Customs
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Best Lawyers in Canada: International Trade and Finance
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Ontario Bar Association Award of Excellence in International Law 2017
Media Mentions
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Osler News Jan 9, 2024
34 Osler lawyers recognized in 2024 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada
Osler is pleased to announce that 34 of our lawyers have been recognized in the 2024 edition of the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500...
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Osler News Oct 30, 2023
Jesse Goldman and Matthew Kronby join Osler’s Competition, Trade and Foreign Investment group
Osler is pleased to welcome Jesse Goldman and Matthew Kronby to the firm’s Competition, Trade and Foreign Investment practice group as partners...
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Community Involvement
- TradeLab (Queen’s University), Mentor
Speaking and Writing
Speaking Engagements
“Market access in the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement”, XII Specialized Course on International Trade (ICC Mexico – Universidad de Monterrey), February 2, 2023
“Navigating trade conflicts in the new global environment”, International Bar Association Annual Conference, Miami, USA, November 3, 2022
“Trade Policy: What Matters to Canadian Business?” Queen’s Institute on Trade Policy, November 18, 2021
Co-moderator, “Hot topics in international sales, trade, franchising and product law,” International Bar Association Annual Conference, Seoul, South Korea, September 23, 2019.“WTO Year Ahead”, 40th Annual Georgetown Trade Law Update, Washington, DC, March 7, 2019
Speaker, “CETA Workshop,” CETA Market Access Program for EU Business, Toronto, November 8, 2018.
Credentials
Education
- University of Toronto, LL.B.
- McGill University, B.A. (Hons.)
Languages
- English
Professional Affiliations
- International Bar Association International Trade and Customs Law Committee, Co-Chair
- International Law Association Canada, Vice-President and Director
- Canadian Bar Association International Law Section
