When Mark Carney became Canada’s prime minister last year, he was known mostly as a technocratic central banker who had gone on to success in the world of global finance.
But when Mr. Carney returned this week from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, he was suddenly a global political star. The normally reserved audience at the annual gathering of billionaires, investors, chief executives and politicians rose in an exceptional standing ovation at the end of Mr. Carney’s rousing, 30-minute speech on Tuesday.
Mr. Carney was praised for his candid assessment of what he called an irrevocable “rupture” to the global order caused by President Trump, and for urging other middle powers to join Canada in charting a distinct path away from the world’s superpowers.
And in sharp contrast to other world leaders who flatter Mr. Trump or keep their heads down for fear of provoking him, Mr. Carney speaks bluntly.
On Thursday, less than a day after returning from Davos, Mr. Carney set out Canada’s direction in a speech in Quebec City, saying that his country “must be a beacon — an example to a world at sea.”
“In a time of rising walls and thickening borders, we demonstrate how a country can be both open and secure, welcoming and strong, principled and powerful,” he said, speaking where his cabinet was meeting, in a fortress built by the British more than 200 years ago to fend off American invaders. “There are literally billions of people who aspire to what we have built. A pluralistic society that works. A public square that’s loud, diverse and free. An economy that delivers broadly shared prosperity. A democracy that chooses to protect the most vulnerable against the powerful.”
He continued: “Canada can’t solve all the world’s problems. But we can show that another way is possible. That the arc of history isn’t destined to be warped towards authoritarianism and exclusion. It can still bend towards progress and justice.”
Mr. Carney’s speech on Thursday, like the one in Davos on Tuesday, did not mention Mr. Trump by name. But the reference was clear.
The speech dealt largely with domestic issues, including a recent rekindling of support for separatism in Quebec, and appeared to be an effort to both reassure and energize Canadians who have been left angered, exhausted and fearful by Mr. Trump’s year in office.
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“Every day we’re reminded that we live in an era of great power rivalry,” Mr. Carney said on Tuesday in Switzerland. “That the rules-based order is fading. That the strong can do what they can, and the weak must suffer what they must.”
Mr. Carney said that for their survival, nations should no longer “go along to get along” with Mr. Trump.
“The middle powers must act together because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”
While Mr. Carney and Mr. Trump have a generally cordial relationship, the two speeches underscored the Canadian leader’s plan to further distance his country from Mr. Trump’s version of the United States, the largest market for Canada’s export-dependent economy and a nation with which it shares the world’s longest land border.
Although Canada is in a free trade agreement with the United States and Mexico, Mr. Trump has imposed a variety of tariffs that threaten key Canadian industries including autos, steel and aluminum.
Regardless of how Mr. Trump’s desire to take over Greenland, another neighbor of Canada’s, is resolved, the issue has stirred concern and anger among Canadians about his threats to make Canada the 51st state. Shortly before Mr. Carney spoke in Davos, Mr. Trump posted on social media an A.I. photograph that included a United States flag superimposed over a map of Canada.
In a rambling speech in Davos on Wednesday, Mr. Trump struck back at Mr. Carney’s words from the day before.
“Canada gets a lot of freebies from us. By the way, they should be grateful also, but they’re not,” Mr. Trump said. “I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful — they should be grateful to us, Canada. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
The two men did not meet in Davos. On Thursday, Mr. Carney returned rhetorical fire.
“Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in the economy, in security and in rich cultural exchange,” Mr. Carney said. “But Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”
Ian Austen reports on Canada for The Times. A Windsor, Ontario, native now based in Ottawa, he has reported on the country for two decades. He can be reached at [email protected].
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