This was definitely the most honest analysis of the current world situation: in his speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney used the word “disruption“. According to him, the old world order will not return - that is why we should not mourn the past. Nostalgia is not a strategy, Carney also said, because something bigger, better, stronger and fairer can be born from the disruption.
At the same time, the Canadian Prime Minister called for the unification of the world's middle powers so that they are not crushed by the great powers the USA and China. "Because if they're not on the table, they're on the menu," said Carney, who said that common investments in defense and resilience are more profitable than if everyone builds their own fortress.
13 contracts in six months
At the end of 2025, Canada joined the EU's SAFE initiative, which provides Canadian arms companies with easier access to the European market. In the past six months, Canada has also signed 12 other agreements in the field of trade and security with countries on four continents, Carney stressed.
Among these countries is China, ARD points out. Last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Carney agreed to remove a large part of existing bilateral trade barriers for certain products. China reduces tariffs on Canadian canola, and Canada in return reduces tariffs on Chinese electric cars.
Canadian trade expert Jacques Shore believes that such steps are right. “We have diversified our trade, including other parts of the world - Europe, Indo-Pacific. I think we can count on these countries to grow.“
The US can no longer be relied on
Because Canada can no longer count on its once closest ally, the US. Since Donald Trump has been imposing increasingly higher tariffs on Canadians and even threatening to annex the country, Canada wants more independence.
The US president does not like this at all, ARD points out. A day later, in the same place, Trump reacted offendedly to Carney's bold speech: “Canada, by the way, gets a lot of free gifts from us. They should be grateful, but they are not. I heard what their prime minister said yesterday. Canada lives thanks to the US. Remember that, Mark, when you give a speech next time. In the meantime, Trump has also withdrawn his invitation to Canada to join his "Peace Council," the German public media outlet notes.
The attacks do not scare Carney
Carney has long been unimpressed by this type of attack from the American president. He is trying to stimulate the country's economy, cut taxes, and invest in important promising sectors. But it remains to be seen whether his strategy will be successful in the long term, ARD writes.
So far, the numbers are in his favor. Since the US introduced the new tariffs, more jobs have been created in absolute terms in Canada, which has a smaller population, than in its larger neighbor. And in the G-7, Canada's GDP has recently been the second fastest growing, thanks in part to migration.
An appeal to Europe
After Carney's speech in Davos, a number of media outlets commented that Europe should learn from Canada's course. Carney has no intention of pandering to Trump - instead, he is relying on honesty, self-confidence and clear positions, which he directly implements. At the same time, the EU has been repeatedly criticized for not acting in accordance with the seriousness of the situation.
For example, the free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries was postponed by European parliamentarians - a sign that trade diversification is not a top priority for everyone in Europe. Even the free trade agreement between the EU and Canada has not been ratified by all European countries for years.
Carney's appeal is unequivocal: for unity and strong opposition to the superpowers on economic and defense issues. This appeal is addressed primarily to Europe, ARD also points out. The German public media notes that there is no better neighbor and ally than Canada - the country is as rich in raw materials as Russia. But unlike Russia, Canadians share European values.