Mark Carney, the Canadian leader who is launching a global appeal to "act together" against Trump

Barcelona"Today I will speak about the breakdown of the world order, the end of a beautiful story and the beginning of a brutal reality in which geopolitics between the great powers is subject to no limits." Thus began Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's forceful and applauded speech at the Davos Economic Forum on Tuesday. For nearly 20 minutes, the Liberal leader of the United States' neighbor spoke about the breakdown of the world order, the end of a beautiful story, and the beginning of a brutal reality in which geopolitics between the great powers is subject to no limits. He called on the "middle powers" to unite and "act together" in a world where "the rules-based order is fading away." In the field of international relations, Carney's assertion that "the old order is not coming back" has been interpreted as an exemplary diagnosis of the current geopolitical situation. But in the current context, with Trump's threats to annex Greenland With the aggression against Venezuela still simmering, Carney's words have also been seen, in part, as a criticism of the southern neighbor. And it's not the first time the Canadian prime minister has confronted Trump.

Carney, in fact, is in office precisely because of his strong stance against Washington. Last March, after The then Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, resigned from his post Due to a lack of popularity among Canadians, Carney He was chosen by the Liberal Party as the new leader of the party and as Trudeau's successor at the head of the government. until an election was held in April. Polls predicted a Conservative victory, but the Liberal's determination to oppose Trump's tariff threats, fresh from his resignation in the White House, worked in his favor. The election campaign essentially centered on that issue, and his party won the election. His composure in responding to Washington's threats earned him the trust of many citizens, but there is also another important factor, related in this case to his resume. He led the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis, and also the Bank of England during the Brexit period. At a time when the economy could falter in the wake of US tariffs, his experience in the banking sector was a plus for some voters. With no experience as a member of parliament, Carney has gone so far as to describe Trump as a "gangster" who must be "confronted." He laid bare, without mincing words, the US interests in the country's natural resources, and last March he stood firm against Trump's repeated comments suggesting that Canada should be the 51st US state: "Absolutely not," Carney declared. Regarding tariffs, the White House warned that Ottawa would respond "dollar for dollar," and since the beginning of his term, he has sought to diversify Canada's trade relations and alliances. He has looked toward Europe, where he made his first official trip to what he has described as a "reliable partner and ally," and toward China, with whom A few days ago, an agreement was reached to reduce tariffs and even eliminate some.It must be taken into account that in trade matters, Ottawa's dependence on Washington is overwhelming: Canada exports 75% of its goods to the US.

Carney is the public face of a country that, precisely as a result of US threats and as is happening in many parts of the world, is experiencing a resurgence of patriotic sentiment, which in the economic sphere is reflected, for example, in initiatives that make it easier to buy products made in Canada. In this regard, the Prime Minister has pointed out that greater US intervention in the country's natural resources could "destroy the way of life" of the Canadian population.

The applauded speech in Davos

In Davos, Carney went beyond criticizing Trump and spoke of a "rupture" in how we conceive of international relations, not a "transition," he said. Based on the essay The power of powerless Written by former Czech President Václav Havel, the Canadian Prime Minister cited the fall of the communist system as an example to follow. Havel argued in the book that this system was sustained in its final years by a lie: according to the former Czech president, few people believed in the system, but everyone acted as if they did. "When even one person stops acting this way [...], the illusion begins to break down," Carney said in his speech, in which he called on "companies" and "countries" to stop pretending that the current world order works.

So why doesn't it work anymore? According to Carney, countries like Canada have operated for decades under a "rules-based international order." "We joined its institutions, praised its principles, and benefited from its predictability. We could pursue values-based foreign policies under its protection." Now, however, something that countries already "knew" has become apparent, says Carney: "That the strongest would get out of trouble when it suited them. That trade rules were applied asymmetrically. And that international law was applied more or less rigorously depending on the identity of the accused or the victim."

For this reason, and given that "the multilateral institutions in which countries relied" have been "greatly weakened," the Canadian, in his speech, called on middle powers to stop "living a lie" and "develop greater strategic autonomy": "If you're not at the table, you are." This autonomy, moreover, must also involve, according to Carney, new "coalitions" and the creation of a "dense network of connections in trade, investment, and culture" more effective than the current one.