Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for greater cooperation among middle powers, urging countries to build a united and influential alternative amid intensifying global power competition.
Addressing an audience at Trinity College Dublin on Saturday ahead of the G7 Summit in France, Carney said countries outside the circle of major global powers should work together rather than compete for influence with larger nations.
“In a world of great power rivalry, middle powers have a choice — to compete for favour or to combine to create a third path with impact,” Carney said.
The Canadian Prime Minister argued that Canada and the European Union together possess substantial economic, demographic and defence capabilities that can help shape global developments. He noted that their combined population is more than twice that of the United States, while their economies are comparable in size and their collective defence capabilities exceed those of China.
Carney’s remarks echoed views he expressed earlier this year at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, where he raised concerns about growing geopolitical tensions and challenges facing the post-war rules-based international order.
The speech came during a series of high-level engagements in Europe ahead of the G7 Summit. Carney held talks with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and recently met French President Emmanuel Macron.
Describing Canada and Europe as partners with shared values, Carney said the two sides could serve as a “force for good” by promoting human rights, dignity and pluralism.
“Canada and Europe together constitute one of the strongest economic, cultural, technological, financial and military groupings in the world,” he said.
Speaking alongside Taoiseach Martin, Carney outlined a broader vision for transatlantic cooperation.
“The new world order will be built starting with Europe,” he said, adding that “Canada is the most European of non-European countries” and is actively deepening its engagement with the continent.
The Prime Minister highlighted Canada’s growing institutional links with Europe, including its recent participation in the European Union’s SAFE defence procurement mechanism, making it the first non-European country to join the initiative.
Carney also pointed to Canada’s network of 56 critical minerals partnerships across more than ten countries, most of them in Europe, as evidence of expanding strategic cooperation.
While emphasising closer ties with Europe, Carney sought to reassure businesses regarding Canada’s relationship with the United States. He said Washington remains committed to the basic framework of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
“The US has been clear. They don’t want to change the fundamental architecture,” he said.
His comments come amid continuing trade tensions between Ottawa and Washington and speculation over the future review of the trilateral trade pact.
Carney noted that around 85 per cent of Canadian exports to the United States currently continue to enter the market tariff-free under the agreement.
-ANI
