Mark Carney, the then-Prime Minister of Canada, gave a game-changing speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He pointed to the seismic changes in global governance that took place while populism was on the rise — particularly in the United States. His comments come just days before a widely anticipated speech by U.S. President Donald Trump on U.S. policy in the region. While he never mentioned Trump by name, his analysis captured the shift, tumult and havoc unleashed under and because of Trump’s presidency.
Having first been elected to Canadian politics in 2025, Carney has long made the case for recognizing how power is changing hands in international relations. He has consistently warned that the world is unlikely to revert to a pre-Trump normal, a sentiment he reiterated during his speech at Davos. He articulated that the traditional U.S.-led global system of governance is experiencing a “rupture,” characterized by increasing great power competition and a diminishing rules-based order.
In his address, Carney stated, “We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.” That’s something he is convinced more than ever, given the current geopolitical environment, is a very unstable balance. Rather than a gradual continuation of the past, it is defined by competition among great powers.
Carney’s message to his home country of Canada, as well as others, is that they need to accept this new reality. He made the case that expecting nations to abide by international standards on compliance will not protect us anymore. The new Normal is rife with cutthroat Machiavellian politics. He stated, “Middle powers must act together, because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”
His analysis indicated that middle powers need to collaborate more closely to navigate the complexities of a world increasingly dominated by major powers pursuing their interests. Carney described the current situation as “a system of intensifying great power rivalry where the most powerful pursue their interests using economic integration as coercion.”
In his speech, Carney highlighted Canada’s historical benefits from the current rules-based international order. He lamented that this order had been largely defined by American hegemony. He warned that all of that might be in the past. He underlined the importance of middle powers to act decisively in the face of these changes. He cautioned against any efforts to capitulate to irredentist powers.
In this context, Carney’s remarks echoed sentiments expressed by other world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who noted that it is “not a time for new imperialism or new colonialism.” Carney’s message was clear: the international community must work collectively to address emerging challenges rather than retreating into isolationism or outdated approaches.
The World Economic Forum is underway. Carney’s speech vividly spotlights the merciless complexities that global governance runs into with stunning depth these days. The meeting in Davos brings together leaders from government, business, and academia to address the most pressing global challenges. Carney’s smart ideas continue to inspire the International Relations community’s search for effective foreign policy.