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Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed ongoing US-Canada trade tensions, security threats, strategic cooperation, and more at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference in Ottawa on Thursday.

Appearing alongside Conservative MP Shuvaloy Majumdar, Pompeo described why trade talks — even between longtime allies like Canada and the US — can be fiery, tense, and complicated.

"In trade negotiations in particular, there are no angels. I was part of a number of them, including the USMCA, the previous agreement between United States, Mexico, and Canada," he said.

"These are hard fought, and sometimes for good reason. There are particular things that you want to do and preserve, all fine. As a guy who ran as a Tea Party congressman from south-central Kansas — no trade barriers, no non-tariff barriers, like let's all go compete. That should be the model," Pompeo continued.

The former US secretary of state also discussed the rising security threats posed by foreign actors, including how Canada and the US must both increase their defence capabilities in light of technological advancements from nefarious groups.

"We all need allies and partners, and the best ones are the ones that share a common set of understandings about civilization and those that have geographic proximity," he said.

"And you're watching these conflicts, the way these very low-dollar, very sophisticated weapons now can truly impact. We do need to do the hard work to protect and preserve ... it is a pretty dodgy world when a terrorist group can get $5,000 Shahed drones, put them in the back of a truck and drive them somewhere inside of one of our countries," Pompeo added.

In addition to trade and security issues, Pompeo addressed concerns over foreign influence operations, noting that actors aligned with the Chinese Communist Party are active in Canada, including within university systems and potentially broader networks.