Turning U.S.-Canada Tension Into Opportunity with H.R. McMaster and David MacNaughton | Today's Battlegrounds | Hoover Institution

Mar 25, 2026

David MacNaughton, veteran Canadian diplomat and former Ambassador to the U.S., discusses U.S.–Canada cooperation on Arctic and continental defense, modernizing NORAD, and protecting critical infrastructure. He also covers energy and trade opportunities after the USMCA review, China’s footprint in Latin America, and how current tensions could spur stronger continental resilience and industrial policy.

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INSIGHT

Rhetoric Undermines Practical U.S. Canada Cooperation

Continuous public insults from a U.S. president erode trust and force Canadian politicians to respond, making practical bilateral cooperation harder.
David MacNaughton warns that rhetoric reverses decades of mutual goodwill despite valid defense spending critiques.

INSIGHT

Postwar Institutions No Longer Fit Current Geopolitics

Postwar multilateral institutions are failing to handle today's challenges, so new coalitions or organizations will be needed.
MacNaughton says bringing China into the WTO didn't produce convergent behavior, prompting rethinking of global rules frameworks.

ANECDOTE

Old U.S. Bases in Newfoundland Illustrate Deep Military Ties

MacNaughton recalled U.S. military bases in Newfoundland and longstanding cross-border personnel exchanges.
He used those memories to show deep, historical integration that underpins modern NORAD cooperation.

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Join former Canadian Ambassador to the United States, David MacNaughton, and Hoover Senior Fellow, H.R. McMaster, as they discuss Canada and US cooperation on Arctic and North American security, prospects for deepening economic cooperation after the 2026 review of the USMCA trade agreement, and opportunities to turn recent tensions into opportunities for both nations.

Reflecting on current geopolitical forces shaping North America and the Western Hemisphere, MacNaughton provides his insight on shifting dynamics in Venezuela, China’s expanding economic and strategic footprint in Latin America, and the implications of political rhetoric and rising tensions on the US–Canada relationship. Exploring a forward-looking agenda centered on continental defense and resilience, including the modernization of NORAD, missile defense, and the protection of critical infrastructure, McMaster and MacNaughton highlight the growing importance of energy security, critical minerals, and resilient supply chains as pillars of economic and national security.

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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Ambassador David MacNaughton is a veteran Canadian diplomat, business leader, and public affairs strategist who served as Canada’s Ambassador to the United States from 2016 to 2019. Over a career spanning more than four decades, MacNaughton has been a central figure in Canadian public policy and cross-border economic relations. Prior to his diplomatic service, MacNaughton led strategy in Canadian public affairs and investment banking. Following his tenure in Washington he served as President of Palantir Canada from 2019 to 2025.

H.R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He was the 25th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.