Prime Minister of Canada: Old World Order Won't Return, Middle Powers Must Stick Together

Mark Carney in the foreground. Photo: Mark Schiefelbein / AP

In his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mark Carney stated that "the old order will not return" and called on smaller countries to unite to defend their interests against the largest ones, writes the BBC.

"Middle powers must act together, because if we are not at the table, we become part of the menu," Carney stated on Tuesday, adding that, in his opinion, powerful countries use economic coercion to get what they want.

He also confirmed Canada's readiness to provide support to Greenland, Denmark, and the NATO alliance, which drew applause from the hall.

"Great powers" usually refer to countries that have permanent seats on the UN Security Council — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Their status reflects significant economic and military potential.

Middle powers include states like Canada, Australia, Argentina, South Korea, and Brazil — countries that, despite the more modest size of their economies, also exert great influence on world politics.

In his speech, Carney said that the world is "in the midst of a rupture, not in a process of transition."

"Great powers have begun to weaponize economic integration, weaponize tariffs as leverage, weaponize financial infrastructure as a means of coercion, and weaponize supply chains as vulnerabilities to exploit," he said.

Carney also stated that "Canada was one of the first to hear the alarm" that geographical position and historical alliances no longer guarantee security and prosperity.

The U.S. President has repeatedly called Canada the "51st state" and threatened to unite it with the U.S. using "economic force." Washington imposed high tariffs on its northern neighbor and major trading partner. However, Canada managed to increase exports to other markets by 14% — more than it lost due to decreased supplies to the U.S. Recently, Carney also concluded an ambitious trade agreement with China.

Recently, Trump included Canada in his plans to acquire Greenland by publishing a map of the U.S., Canada, and Greenland with an overlaid image of the American flag on social media.

According to Carney, Canada, as a NATO member, firmly supports Greenland, Denmark, and "their exclusive right to determine Greenland's future."

"Our commitment to Article 5 remains steadfast," added the Prime Minister, referring to a clause in the NATO treaty which is usually interpreted to mean that an attack on one member of the alliance is considered an attack on all.

Earlier this week, Canadian media reported that Canada is considering sending a small contingent of troops to Greenland to participate in military exercises alongside Danish and other European forces.

Answering a question about this in Davos, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said: "We regularly participate in NATO exercises, as well as exercises conducted by the Canadian Armed Forces themselves." She added that decisions on future troop deployments are made by the Minister of National Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff.

The BBC reached out to the Canadian Ministry of National Defence for comment.

In his speech, Carney said that to adapt to the changing geopolitical situation, Canada is currently focused on engaging with other countries and forming "different coalitions on various issues based on shared values and interests."

The Prime Minister called Canada a "stable and reliable" partner and noted recent trade and investment agreements concluded with China and Qatar, as well as a defense procurement agreement signed by Canada with the EU early last year.

Carney did not directly mention Donald Trump in his speech, but some of his remarks seemed directed at the U.S. President, who is scheduled to deliver a speech at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday.

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