Jean Chrétien understands that national strength comes from international friendship. So does today’s Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who dismisses Donald Trump’s weird zero-sum notion that stronger relations between Canada and Europe somehow threaten the United States:
In his speech on Thursday, Carney again invoked his pet name for Trump’s United States: “hegemon.” He spoke about the “freedoms we must fight for every day,” and predicted that the Canada-Europe alliance could stop dominant powers from interfering in their trade, sovereignty and democracy.
But answering questions after the speech, Carney struck a softer note. “This is a positive thing for the president of the United States,” he said. “A stronger, more resilient, more sovereign Canada will be a more effective partner” [Alan Woods, “Mark Carney’s ‘Inherent Attraction’ Pitch to Europe Has No Guarantee of a Happy Ending,” The Star, 2026.09.17].
Like Chrétien and unlike Trump, Carney recognizes that friendship and collaboration make nations stronger, especially when facing muddle-headed bullies like Trump who threaten global democracy:
Carney received a standing ovation from MEPs in Strasbourg, who waited to shake his hand and get a selfie with him. European lawmakers from pro-EU mainstream parties have already praised Carney’s January speech in Davos, in which he called for middle powers to work together to preserve their sovereignty in a world of great power rivalry where the strong accept no constraints.
Carney reprised the theme in Strasbourg, saying: “Canada and Europe are each strong. Europe and Canada are stronger together … The objective is not self-sufficiency, it’s collective resilience.”
He went on to say: “I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival, only with better manners,” saying an EU-Canada alliance would be a “beacon for other democracies” [Jennifer Rankin, “Canada’s Carney Embraces Associate Membership Proposal,” The Guardian, 2026.09.17].
Trump calls the EU–Canada proposal “laughable” and warns that if he thinks “it’s at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things.” Hmm… what hostile intent might we find in these collaborative acts?
In a speech frequently interrupted by rounds of applause, Carney detailed his plans for the future relationship, saying the two sides could cooperate on critical minerals, defence industrial capacity, AI and computing, energy security, space and payments. He also called for “seamless digital trade in non-agricultural goods and a wide range of services”.
He proposed a youth exchange programme that would enable young people to work, study and live in both jurisdictions, as well as Canadian membership of the Erasmus+ scheme, the EU’s education, training and sport programme [Rankin, 2026.09.17].
Only a paranoid hegemon who thinks American power depends on subjugating everyone else would see a threat in Canadian–European cooperation. A nation need not make others suffer to make room for its own aspirations. Prime Minister Carney gets that. America needs leaders who get that as well.