The Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR) is a dinner and dialogue series that provides unparalleled access to top experts and diplomats for candid discussions of today’s most pressing international issues. Participation is exclusive to Diplomat and Ambassador members and their guests. To join, renew, or upgrade your membership, please click here.

CCFR is honored to host General (Ret’d) Tom Lawson to share his insights on the future of North American security as the U.S.-Canada partnership, long one of the closest alliances in the world, enters a new and more uncertain chapter.

For nearly seventy years, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has stood as a symbol of trust between two nations that defend their shared continent together. Today, that trust is being tested by tariff disputes, pointed rhetoric about Canadian sovereignty, and Ottawa’s push to diversify its defense and economic ties beyond Washington. At the same time, the security case for cooperation has rarely been stronger with an increasingly contested Arctic, advancing long-range strike capabilities from hostile nations, and ambitious American plans for a “Golden Dome” missile defense system. Drawing on his experience as Canada’s Chief of the Defense Staff and Deputy Commander of NORAD, General Lawson will examine whether shared threats can outweigh political friction. Can the alliance adapt to an era of strained trust, and what is at stake for both nations if it cannot?

Registration will close at 5:00pm on Thursday, Oct. 15. When you register, please indicate your choice of entrée and any relevant dietary restrictions. All entrées will be accompanied by side dishes:

• House salad
• Confit fingerling potato
• Grilled asparagus
• Apple cider panna cotta