Brière appeared in the 1994 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, a highly competitive under-18 event not directly sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). He scored five points and earned his first gold medal as Canada defeated the United States 5–2 in the final. Three years later, during his final year of major junior in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), he competed for Team Canada at the 1997 World Junior Championships in Switzerland. Brière scored six points in seven games and captured his second gold medal, defeating the United States once more 2–0.