Overview
- In a keynote, the Canadian prime minister said the post‑World War II rules‑based system is breaking down and urged “values‑based realism” built on economic resilience and diversified ties.
- He called for flexible, issue‑by‑issue coalitions, proposed Canada as a bridge between the European Union and the CPTPP, and backed Denmark and Greenland against U.S. acquisition talk.
- Carney grounded the case in Václav Havel’s “living in truth” and Thucydides’ warning on power, arguing that middle powers must act together or risk being “on the menu.”
- President Trump’s speech the following day drew a muted reception, included a non‑force pledge on Greenland, and was widely read as reinforcing the need for coordinated middle‑power responses.
- Reaction ranged from praise by Finland’s president to cross‑party Canadian calls for concrete follow‑through, alongside partisan attacks over Carney’s Beijing visit that other coverage disputed.