North American Forum

The North American Forum is a community of Canadian, Mexican and American thought leaders, whose purpose is to advance a shared vision of North America, and to contribute to improved relations among the three neighbors. They come together annually to explore the interactions among the mutually reinforcing goals of security, prosperity and enhanced quality of life. The purpose of the NAF is to create the political and conceptual basis for increased cooperation among countries and across sectors. The NAF identifies actions that governments and private actors can take to help build societal resilience so that the three countries can avoid shocks when possible—be they natural or man-made—and withstand and rebound from shocks when necessary. NAF members are selected based on their commitment to the NAF’s goals and their ability to effect positive change.

Presiding over the forum are three Co-Chairs: former Mexican Finance Minister Pedro Aspe, former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed and 19th Secretary of Defense William J. Perry. Secretary Perry assumed the US Chairmanship at the end of 2009 after the seminal leadership of former Secretary of State George P. Shultz. While, tri-national in scope and design, the agenda each year is shaped by the organizing country. The World Affairs Council of Northern California has served as the Secretariat for the North American Forum since the inaugural meeting which took place in October 2005 in Sonoma, California. Subsequent meetings rotate among the three countries.