The Calm Before the Storm: Canadian and American Visionaries Gather at Meridian in Advance of G7 Fallout

When U.S. and Canadian leaders gathered on Meridian’s campus on May 23, NAFTA renegotiations were the central point of focus with a look toward the upcoming G7 as a chance to reestablish the strong link between the North American neighbor nations. The June 1 expiration date on Canada and Mexico’s exemption status from U.S.-imposed steel and aluminum tariffs were little more than a footnote indicating the consensus among participants that the exemption would be extended. Certainly, no one anticipated the strong and fiery rhetoric elicited by Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump at the close out of the G7 Summit on June 9. Yet, some of the main recommendations and takeaways from the May gathering remain valid, if not more important, following the U.S.-Canada turmoil of the past few weeks.

Co-hosted by Meridian International Center and The Coca-Cola Company as the kick-off event of the U.S.-Canada Shared Priorities for a Sustainable Future program, 25 U.S. and Canadian visionaries converged on Washington, DC for a salon-style dinner focused on the state of U.S.-Canadian relations. The common theme throughout the evening was that the bilateral relationship remained strong and integrated through numerous and wide-ranging U.S.-Canada partnerships from businesses, NGOs, academia and state and local governments through the working level of national governments. This sentiment was echoed by both the State Department and Commerce Department officials in attendance as well as the Canadian Embassy and NGO leaders represented. Instead, their concern was the general public’s lack of basic awareness of any cross-border collaboration in either nation. The journalists in attendance posed no solution to that dilemma as their readership tend to be uninterested in articles focusing on U.S.-Canada relations beyond the major headlines.

The recommendation garnering the most attention, especially among the academic and think tank representatives, was the reestablishment of the "North American Committee." Comprised of business, labor, and university leaders from both countries (as well as Mexico following NAFTA), this group included the business leadership that helped drive through the Auto-Pact and the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Once NAFTA was established, however, leaders from both nations believed trade was no longer an issue between Canada and the U.S. and the Committee dissolved. With heightened tensions caused by trade throughout the continent, a reincarnation of the North American Committee is worth strong consideration.

Four former U.S. Ambassadors to Canada were among those in attendance: Governor Jim Blanchard (1993-1996), Gordon Giffin (1997-2001), David Wilkins (2005-2009), and David Jacobson (2009-2013). Other participants included: Matt Echols, Senior Vice President, Coca-Cola North America Public Affairs and Communications; Ambassador Stuart Holliday, President and CEO, Meridian International Center; John Andersen, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, International Trade Administration, United States Department of Commerce; Victoria C. Christiansen, Interim Chief, U.S. Forest Service; Daniel Dale, Washington Correspondent, Toronto Star; Dr. Charles Doran, Director of Canadian Studies, Johns Hopkins University SAIS; Scotty Greenwood, CEO, Canadian-American Business Council; Cynthia Kierscht Director, Office of Canadian Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Stuart Levenbach, Chief of Staff, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Ron Soreanu, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, The Coca-Cola Company (Canada); Nadia Theodore, Consulate General of Canada in Atlanta; and, Dr. Sandra Whitehouse, Senior Policy Advisor, Ocean Conservancy. Meridian and Coca-Cola will co-host the next segment of the U.S.-Canada Shared Priorities for a Sustainable Future program in Ottawa in late November 2018.

Meridian House Dining Room | May 2018 | Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

Images from Meridian International Center’s “Eyes on the Arctic: U.S.-Canada Collaboration in the North” photography exhibition were on display during the evening gathering. Meridian partnered with the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa to conduct a tour of the exhibition throughout Canada in 2017. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

The State Department’s Director of the Office of Canadian Affairs Cynthia Kierscht shared the latest on U.S.-Canada relations from the Administrations’ viewpoint. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

Ocean Conservancy Senior Policy Advisor Dr. Sandra Whitehouse (left) in conversation with Coca-Cola Director Federal & Diplomatic Government Relations Missy Owens (right). Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

BMO Financial Group Vice Chair Ambassador David Jacobson is flanked by Commerce Department DAS John Andersen and Meridian President and CEO Ambassador Stuart Holliday. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

Left to right: Canadian Embassy Minister (Political) Martin Loken, DLA Piper Partner Emeritus Governor Jim Blanchard, State Department Office of Canadian Affairs Director Cynthia Kierscht, and Coca Cola Canada’s Public Affairs and Communications Vice President Ron Soreanu. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

Meridian’s Ambassador Stuart Holliday engages in conversation with Consul General of Canada in Atlanta Nadia Theodore. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

Martin Loken, Minister (Political), provided introductory remarks on behalf of the Embassy of Canada. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

The pre-dinner was reception was held in Meridian’s Linden Garden. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

U.S. and Canadian leaders gathered for a light reception in advance of the dialogue dinner. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

Foreground left to right: Ocean Wise President and CEO Dr. John Nightingale, Council of the Great Lakes CEO Mark Fisher, and Consul General of Canada in Atlanta Nadia Theodore. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

Coca-Cola’s Matt Echols delivers welcome remarks as Meridian’s Ambassador Stuart Holliday looks on. Photo credit: Stephen Bobb

Project Partner