Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned at the World Economic Forum that global politics is in "a rupture, not a transition".
Great powers are using tariffs and economic integration as tools of coercion.
He pitched Canada as a "stable and reliable" partner, urging middle powers to form flexible coalitions based on shared values and interests.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday warned that the “old order is not coming back”, calling on middle powers to unite as global geopolitics fractures, during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“Middle powers must act together because if we're not at the table, we're on the menu,” Carney said, arguing that major nations were increasingly resorting to economic coercion to advance their interests. His remarks drew applause when he reaffirmed Canada’s support for Greenland, Denmark and the Nato alliance.
Although Carney did not name Donald Trump, parts of his speech appeared to be directed at the US president, who has threatened tariffs against European allies and the UK unless Greenland is handed over to the United States.
Carney described the current global moment as a fundamental break rather than a gradual shift. “Great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited,” he said, adding that the world was “in the midst of a rupture, not a transition”.
He also said “Canada was amongst the first to hear the wake-up call” that geography and long-standing alliances no longer guaranteed either security or prosperity.
Great powers are typically defined as the five countries holding permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — reflecting their economic and military dominance.
He added that middle powers, including Canada, Australia, Argentina, South Korea and Brazil, wield significant global influence despite having smaller economies.
Tensions between Ottawa and Washington have sharpened since Trump returned to office. He has repeatedly referred to Canada as the “51st state” and threatened to merge the two countries through “economic force”, following up with steep tariffs on his northern neighbour and major trading partner.
More recently, Trump has included Canada in his push to take control of Greenland, a partly sovereign territory, posting a social media image showing the US, Canada and Greenland covered by an American flag.
As a Nato member, Canada stands firmly with Greenland and Denmark and supports “their unique right to determine Greenland's future”, Carney said. “Our commitment to Article Five is unwavering,” he added, referring to the alliance’s collective defence clause.
Canadian media have reported that Ottawa is considering deploying a small number of troops to Greenland to take part in military exercises alongside Danish and other European forces. Asked about the reports in Davos, Foreign Minister Anita Anand said, “we regularly participate in Nato exercises, and we participate in exercises that the Canadian Armed Forces itself leads”, noting that decisions on deployments rest with the defence minister and the chief of defence staff.
Looking ahead, Carney said Canada was adapting to shifting geopolitics by strengthening ties with other countries and forming “different coalitions for different issues based on common values and interests”.
He presented Canada as a “stable and reliable” partner, pointing to recent trade and investment agreements with China and Qatar, as well as a defence procurement pact signed with the European Union last year.
Carney is among several world leaders attending the World Economic Forum this week. Trump is due to deliver his own address on Wednesday.
(with inputs from BBC)
