【Canadian Prime Minister: Unity Is the Key to Countering the Unilateral Mindset of Certain Superpowers】

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned during a speech at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland that the "rule-based" global order is "collapsing" under the dominance of superpowers. Carney made these remarks at the launch of the De Shastlan Public Lecture Series, an event also attended by Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Carney stated that the world stands at a critical juncture and called on leaders of "middle powers" to unite and harness collective strength. "The rule-based international order after the Cold War is collapsing. Multilateral institutions are weakening. Economic integration—once beneficial to us—is being weaponized. The decades-long system of international trade we relied upon is under threat," he said. His remarks remained deliberately vague, without explicitly naming any country violating global norms.

Carney’s comments come amid historic tensions between Canada and its southern neighbor, the United States. Since Donald Trump returned to the White House, the U.S. has repeatedly pressured Canada to relinquish sovereignty. Trump once called for Canada to become the "51st state" of the U.S., and has used tariffs to force Canada to comply with American priorities on trade and immigration. Both Carney and Trump are expected to attend the upcoming G7 Summit in France from June 15 to 17.

In his speech, Carney directly appealed to European counterparts, emphasizing unity in response to the unilateralism adopted by certain superpowers. "Canada, Ireland, and Europe are increasingly vulnerable to threats once considered distant. In this evolving reality, Canada, Ireland, and Europe can become key, powerful, and focused forces." His address at Trinity College echoed his earlier speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year, where he first introduced the concept of a "middle power" strategy.

Responding to that speech, Trump criticized Carney, accusing him of lacking respect. "Canada gets a lot of free benefits from us. They should be grateful, but they aren’t. Canada survives because of the U.S. Remember that, Mark, next time you speak." Yet on Saturday, Carney returned to a similar theme, drawing a parallel between the strength of the Canada-EU alliance and the world’s largest economy. "When we unite, we are strong. Combined, our population exceeds two times that of the United States."

Since becoming Prime Minister of Canada in 2025, Carney has consistently worked to strengthen international ties. In May this year, he became the first non-European leader to join the European Political Community Summit. In February, he successfully secured Canada’s inclusion in the European SAFE tool—a loan program designed to help countries purchase critical military defense equipment. Carney also expressed hope for the EU to establish links with the proposed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a move that would create a trade bloc with over 1.5 billion people.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868020135726087/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.