Davos signals a new great game for Canada

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a stark speech urging Canada to secure economic sovereignty and to help build coalitions of middle powers to resist economic coercion. He said the international rules-based order is diminished and warned against protectionism.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a stark speech that framed a clear national purpose for Canada: securing economic sovereignty and helping other middle powers do the same. He described the current international situation as one in which economic integration is being weaponized by stronger states and said established institutions are diminished. Mr. Carney urged building coalitions of like-minded countries while resisting protectionism. He also put business leaders and recent trade deals at the centre of that effort. Key points: - Mr. Carney said the international rules-based order, including institutions such as the WTO and the UN, is "greatly diminished." - He warned that powerful states are weaponizing economic integration and quoted the phrase that "the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must." - The speech called for coalitions of middle powers to reduce economic leverage that enables coercion and to uphold values like human rights, sustainable development and territorial integrity. - The Prime Minister has signed 12 trade and security deals in the last six months and mentioned efforts to link the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the European Union into a larger trading zone. Summary: The address frames Canada as a middle-power expected to help build coalitions that limit economic coercion and protect shared values, and it places an existential role on business leaders in securing national economic sovereignty. The speech emphasises resisting protectionism while expanding cooperative trade arrangements. Undetermined at this time.