Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
When Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered his speech at the Davos economic forum this year, his blistering remarks drew the world's attention.
"The system's power comes not from its truth, but from everyone's willingness to perform as if it were true. And its fragility comes from the same source. When even one person stops performing, when the greengrocer removes his sign, the illusion begins to crack. Friends, it is time for companies and countries to take their signs down."
The Canadian Prime Minister spoke of a rupture in the global rules-based order, warning middle power countries against efforts to appease major powers.
Embarking on his first visit to Australia as leader, Mark Carney says recent events in Iran are just another example of the faltering global order.
“Despite decades of UN Security Council resolutions, the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency in a succession of sanctions and diplomatic frameworks, Iran’s nuclear threat remains. And now, the United States and Israel have acted without engaging the UN or consulting with allies, including Canada.”
Mr Carney was given a ceremonial welcome with a gun salute when he arrived at Parliament House on Thursday morning, posing for selfies with school students alongside his Australian counterpart.
Addressing Parliament, he emphasised the shared values and history between Australia and Canada.
"Canadians and Australians have stood by each other when the hour was darkest and victory most in doubt, and we have done so because we believe that people everywhere deserve to live freely, to govern themselves and determine their own futures."
Calling for rapid de-escalation in the Middle East, Mark Carney says he wants Australia, as a middle power, to help restore international order.
Outlining some practical areas where Australia and Canada can cooperate, he told parliament that middle powers collectively wielded enormous economic and cultural influence.
"To be clear, this is an ad hoc coalition, variable geometry that has a larger GDP than the United States, three times the trade flow of China, the largest combined financial balance sheets in the world, over sixty of the world's top universities and the largest source of cultural exports globally."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in his welcome address to Mr Carney, says the Canadian leader’s visit reflects their shared ambition to do more on the global stage.
"Australia and Canada are middle powers in a world that is changing. We cannot change it back, but we can back ourselves, back our citizens, and back each other. And your visit reflects our shared ambition for Australia and Canada to do more together at a deeper level."
During the visit, Mr Carney signed Australia up to a powerful global alliance of critical minerals producers, with progress also made on Artificial intelligence, defence and trade.
Anthony Albanese says the pair will work together on a range of fronts.
"Canada is one of Australia's closest and long standing partners, and today, in our bilateral we've discussed the Indo, Pacific developments in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, cooperation in economic security, the critical importance of the Clean Energy Transition, as well as defence cooperation with the international system under increasing pressure, we want to work together and with our partners to uphold and defend peace, security and prosperity."
Right now, more than ever, Mr Carney says like-minded allies must band together to reduce their dependence on global superpowers like the United States.
With global trade markets and the economy rocked by the unpredictable presidency of Donald Trump, he says middle powers must adapt to avoid becoming victims of the system that once protected them.
"So, our strategic imperative, Canada's strategic imperative is to build sovereign capabilities and resilience in these critical sectors, at home, first and foremost, but with trusted partners like Australia, to ensure that integration is never again the source of our subordination."
Agreement on the need to strengthen middle power cooperation was not limited to the Albanese government.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor says Mr Carney's speech at Davos was a much needed wake up call for middle powers.
"The rules based international order has been exposed as wishful thinking of a bygone and benign era, especially in these times when autocratic regimes act with impunity, and I wholeheartedly agree with you, in this brave new world, middle powers cannot simply build higher walls and retreat behind them. We must work together. We must act together."
Earlier in the day, Independent M-P Allegra Spender told reporters that Australia would benefit greatly from deeper collaboration.
"I think he's a hundred percent right. I think the middle powers do need to work together. I think we have a huge amount in common with Canada and this is the moment to really work together. I think that the United States is really is important to us, but I think to strengthen our relationships across the world is right for Australia's interests and I think protects us in the long term."
Meanwhile, Greens Senator David Shoebridge says he hopes the Australian government will contribute to upholding principles of international law.
"Well, of course, middle powers need to work together to push back against lawless bullies like Donald Trump and the United States. And I think it's interesting watching Mark Carney's language changing in the last 48 hours. I think he can see how dangerous, how globally unpopular, and how destabilising Trump's most recent illegal war is and is trying to distance Canada from that yet, you know, here in Australia, we've got the Albanese government literally hostage to the US alliance, seemingly unable to contribute, as they should as a middle power, to concepts like international law and world peace."
