Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasizes the importance of smaller nations uniting to counterbalance the power of larger countries. He argues that middle powers, like Canada, possess the capacity to shape a new global order through strategic alliances and shared interests. Carney highlights the diminishing effectiveness of multilateral institutions and the need for smaller nations to assert their sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
In his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Carney stresses that middle powers should not be passive recipients of the 'law of the strongest' but instead should actively build coalitions and foster connections across trade, investment, and culture. He references Václav Havel's essay, 'The Power of the Powerless,' to illustrate how ordinary people can participate in rituals that they privately know to be false, maintaining the status quo.
Carney also highlights Canada's strengths, including its status as an energy superpower, vast reserves of critical minerals, highly educated population, and substantial pension funds. He argues that Canada has the resources and capacity to contribute to a more just and resilient global order.
French President Emmanuel Macron echoes similar sentiments, advocating for economic sovereignty and strategic economic policies. Macron emphasizes the need for Europe to prioritize European interests in trade arrangements with both the US and China, and to invest in Europe first.
Both leaders agree that the current global order is undergoing a significant rupture, and that middle powers must take proactive steps to shape a new, more equitable world order.
