Canada's middle-power conundrum at Davos.

Prime Minister Mark Carney used his first Davos speech to invoke Václav Havel and to urge middle powers like Canada to reassess reliance on the existing rules-based order while pursuing new alliances, trade diversification and stronger domestic economies.

Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered his first World Economic Forum speech in Davos and referenced Václav Havel as a framing device. He argued that middle powers have long benefited from a rules-based order while sometimes accepting uneven application of its rules. Carney said rising great-power rivalry and the use of economic integration as a tool of coercion are weakening that bargain. He encouraged medium-sized countries to build strategic alliances, diversify trade and strengthen their domestic economies. Key points: - Mark Carney, speaking in Davos as Prime Minister, invoked Václav Havel and said middle powers should reassess the current international arrangement. - He described a period of intensifying great-power rivalry and warned that economic ties can be used as coercion. - Carney urged middle powers to pursue new strategic alliances, security and defence arrangements, and broader trade partners. - The speech did not name a specific country directly; media described several leaders' remarks at Davos as veiled criticisms. Summary: Carney's remarks frame a possible shift in how Canada and similar countries approach security and trade, emphasising coordinated action among mid-sized states. Undetermined at this time.