World in “Midst of a Rupture”: Canada PM Carney Warns at Davos
Mark Carney declares end of old rules-based order amid great power rivalry.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a stark warning at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, declaring that the US-led global system of governance is experiencing a profound “rupture” rather than a mere transition. Speaking to an audience of political and financial leaders, Carney described the current era as one defined by intensifying great power competition, where economic integration is increasingly used as a tool of coercion.
In his address—delivered just a day before US President Donald Trump was scheduled to speak—Carney highlighted how the traditional “rules-based international order,” underpinned by American hegemony, once provided public goods such as open sea lanes, financial stability, collective security, and dispute resolution mechanisms. He argued that this system is now fading, replaced by a reality where the most powerful nations pursue their interests without restraint. “We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition,” Carney stated emphatically.
The former central banker, who entered Canadian politics last year, has consistently cautioned that the world will not revert to a pre-Trump status quo. Without directly naming Trump, Carney’s speech clearly referenced the impact of current US policies. He stressed that middle powers like Canada can no longer rely on compliance to ensure safety. “It won’t” buy protection, he warned, urging collective action among like-minded nations: “If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”
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Carney called for ambitious adaptation rather than isolationist “higher walls,” noting that great powers can act unilaterally due to their market size, military strength, and leverage—options unavailable to smaller nations. He also reaffirmed Canada’s solidarity with Denmark and Greenland amid Trump’s repeated claims over the Arctic territory, stating, “Canada stands firmly with Greenland and Denmark and fully supports their unique right to determine Greenland’s future.”
The speech comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions, including recent media reports of Canadian military contingency planning for potential US scenarios and Trump’s ongoing social media posts featuring maps depicting Canada as part of an expanded United States.
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