Canadians rallied around Prime Minister Carney after his speech in Davos and new attacks from Trump
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney received a standing ovation at the Davos forum after sharply criticizing the use of economic integration and tariffs as tools of pressure by major powers. His speech came amid another round of verbal attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump and sparked a wave of support among Canadians.
Call for Middle Powers to Unite
In his speech, Carney stated that the rules-based world order has come to an end. He cited Canada as an example of how medium-sized countries can work together to avoid becoming victims of American hegemony.
When the rules no longer protect you, you have to protect yourself. Middle powers need to work together, because if you're not at the table, you're on the menu
Trump responded by saying that Canada "lives off the United States" and urged Carney to remember America's past generosity. The day before, the American president posted an AI-generated image of Canada and Greenland covered with the U.S. flag.
Results of the International Trip
The Davos speech capped off a busy overseas trip for the Canadian prime minister. Last week, he secured a trade agreement with China and held talks about new partnerships in the Middle East. These moves are aimed at reducing Canada's critical economic dependence on the U.S.
Laura Stevenson, a political science professor at Western University in Ontario, noted that Canadians will feel both pride and some concern over their leader's directness. According to her, Carney showed courage by publicly saying these things, and the global reaction to his speech has been largely positive.
Canadian Public Response
According to the prime minister's office, the speech was written by Carney himself. Stevenson believes the speech will resonate with Canadians, though their reactions may differ depending on how connected their work is to trade with the U.S. Those personally affected by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement, which is up for review this year, may be upset and worried about what comes next.
On the streets of Toronto, retired race walker Ann Peel expressed deep concern about the possibility of American aggression amid Trump's escalating rhetoric about annexing Canada. She called the American president "a big bully" and noted that Carney's speech was powerful because it articulated a fundamentally different worldview.
We're very values-oriented. Canadians as a people are proud of themselves. We're not just going to roll over because the United States wants us to
Rising Patriotic Sentiment
Since Trump first began threatening to turn Canada into the 51st U.S. state after his 2024 election victory, Canadians have sharply cut back on trips to the United States, are boycotting American alcohol, and are choosing to buy Canadian products.
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Jonathan Calles, a former senior advisor to ex-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said he was amazed by the support for Carney's speech from across the political spectrum, including some conservatives.
High Approval Ratings
Most polls show Carney's approval rating exceeding 50 percent since coming to power last April. Recent data from Nanos Research shows Carney leading Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre by 22 points.
Carney's Liberal Party was able to overcome a nearly 30-point Conservative lead and win the federal election last year after Trump began threatening Canada's sovereignty.
James Moore, a former industry minister under ex-Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, posted an excerpt from Carney's speech, urging people to "put down your partisan swords today and take the time to listen to this speech."
Michelle Rempel Garner, a Conservative MP from Alberta, wrote in the National Post that Carney's speech "rightly called out the harsh realities of a fractured geopolitical system and the urgent need for middle powers like Canada to step up with resolve and realism," urging him to back up words with action.
New Approach to U.S. Relations
Despite the tough rhetoric, Carney has yet to seal a trade deal with the U.S. His "elbows up" approach to the U.S. has softened somewhat—he repealed the digital services tax to restart trade talks with the U.S. and apologized for a Canadian ad that upset Trump.
Jack Cunningham, a professor of international relations at the University of Toronto, noted that Canadians overwhelmingly responded to Carney's speech partly because the prime minister dared to stand up to Trump and apparently still has the president's respect. According to him, for a long time other leaders tried to treat Trump like a difficult grandfather who needed to be managed. Among Canadians, there's a sense of pride that Carney was able to stand up to Trump, and now there's hope that Canada is no longer alone in this confrontation.
