This week at the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney challenged the pillars of global governance, calling the so-called rules-based order a 'fiction.' In a stirring address on January 21, Carney urged middle powers to step up their diplomatic game or risk being sidelined.
'If we are not at the table, we are on the menu,' Carney said, driving home his point about the consequences of diplomatic absence.
He criticized what he described as American hegemony and argued that many countries have been 'performing sovereignty while accepting subordination.' Carney highlighted the need for nations from Canada to Australia and across Europe to forge new coalitions that reflect emerging economic and security realities.
His remarks underscore shifting power dynamics. The United States still accounts for roughly 25 percent of global GDP, but rising economies in Asia, Latin America, and Africa are reshaping trade, technology, and security agendas. Recent data shows emerging markets now represent over 40 percent of global trade volumes, signaling a trend traditional powers must acknowledge.
For digital-savvy global citizens and business leaders, Carney's call is clear: adapt or be sidelined. Tech hubs from Bangalore to Berlin, and startups in Sao Paulo and Seoul, are already forging transnational partnerships. Meanwhile, policymakers and academics are debating how to update institutions like the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organization to reflect 21st-century realities.
Thought leaders and activists at Davos also seized on Carney's message. Sustainability advocate Amira Hassan commented, 'This is a wake-up call. Smaller nations and civil society must not just attend meetings, but push for real reforms on climate, trade, and human rights.'
As the 2026 agenda unfolds, the big question remains: will middle powers unite to rewrite the rules of engagement, or will they continue navigating a system that one of their own has branded a myth? If history is any guide, Davos might just be the starting line for a major geopolitical reset.
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Canadian PM: 'If we are not at the table, we are on the menu'
cgtn.com
