‘Fairly high’ potential for post-U.S. election violence, ‘chaos’: ex-envoy

Former Canadian ambassador to the U.S. David MacNaughton says Canada can handle either a Trump or Harris administration, but post-election volatility will create 'real problems.'

Canada has a lot to feel anxious about as the U.S. presidential election draws to a close, but a former diplomat between the two countries says he’s particularly worried about “chaos” after the vote — including the “fairly high” potential for violence.

David MacNaughton, who served as Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. from 2016 to 2019, says he’s confident Canada can handle a future Donald Trump or Kamala Harris administration despite the challenges each one would pose.

But with polls showing an extremely close race, MacNaughton says he’s hopeful the result is clear enough to avoid a contested result like that of the 2000 U.S. election, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“You can just imagine the turmoil that would go on,” he told Mercedes Stephenson in an interview that aired Sunday on The West Block.

“So I hope one way or the other, it’s clear. I think we can deal with either outcome, but chaos would not be good for anybody.”

MacNaughton said regardless of who wins, he believes the likelihood of political violence in the wake of the result — which could take days to determine — is “fairly high.”

The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump’s supporters protesting his election loss “really shocked” him and stood in stark contrast to the lead-up to Trump’s inauguration in 2016, he said.

“The mood is so divided and so intense on both sides that I really do worry about the possibility of violence,” he said. “It wouldn’t necessarily be in Washington. It might be in other places in the country.”