this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2026
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It was a moment of global clarity. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech to the world’s political and economic elite gathered in Davos this week described global realities, past and present, with a candour and nuance rarely heard from a serving politician.

The message was twofold.

First, Carney made clear that the world has changed, and the old comfortable ways of global politics are not coming back. Those who wait for sanity to return are waiting in vain. We are in a world increasingly shaped by the threat and the use of hard power. All states must accept that reality.

Despite this, Carney’s second and more hopeful message was that while the globally powerful may act unilaterally, others — notably “middle powers” like Canada — are not helpless.

By finding ways to co-operate on areas of shared interest, states like Canada can pool their limited resources to build what amounts to a flexible network of co-operative ties. Taken together they can provide an alternative to simply rolling over and taking whatever great powers like the United States dole out.

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[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 42 points 1 day ago (4 children)

I moved from Lebanon 8 years ago with my Canadian wife, and I was happy to leave that unstable region with the worst neighbours. Alas, I'm fated to live next to terrible neighbours again. I hope Canada will strengthen the relations with the rest of the world, and never turn to the US again. And as an anti-capitalist and anti-facist, I hope Canada does not become like the US.

[–] GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca 6 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

I mean, look on the bright side. At least the unhinged fascists to the south aren't bombing us right now, unlike Lebanon's case. It's not 'out of the frying pan, into the fire', it's 'out of the frying pan, into a different, less hot frying pan'. Could be worse!

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 3 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

For now. If not militarily, they might get us politically by turning our politicians into their fashion, and thus take control of us.

[–] GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca 5 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Hell, they already had us, and we just didn't know it. Every western country was in lockstep with the US, especially in foreign policy. Now the US has decided that soft power is woke, and everyone has to publicly submit to them. This could at least offer us an opportunity to break free, though the odds could be better.

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 2 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I don't know if you are on FB (I hadn't used it for a long time but now I'm active again, especially after being suspended on reddit, don't judge me 😳) but there's a lot of Canadian posts asking if we are ready to defend Canada against a possible US invasion, join the army, that sort of talk. Which makes me wonder if our taxes are going to be spent on the military instead of our public services (mainly the healthcare system which is not doing too well). But honestly I don't think we stand a chance against them, unless we form alliances with Europe. I don't know I'm too hungry now I can't focus.

[–] GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I got rid of it years ago, thankfully, but I've heard the talk. As it stands, we wouldn't make it a week outside of a guerrilla war, and I don't know if we have a strong enough society or motivated enough populace for guerrilla war. We could make ourselves a hard enough target for them to avoid if we invested heavily in expanding the military, but where are we going to get the weapons? America? They could turn them off remotely I'm sure. China would be a good option, but America might invade us right away once they found out we were doing that. It's a big problem.

Even if we could get the Europeans to do anything more than write a strongly-worded letter, they don't have much in the way of military might themselves. Frankly, I don't trust them to help unless something changes, but the ticket is deterrence. We need to make ourselves a hard enough target that the Americans aren't willing to try to take a bite, and it's going to take a combination of alliances (we should ally with Mexico, since America is coming for them too) and armaments.

Regarding shifting social spending to defence, I think it's a bad idea, at least without other major changes elsewhere. Part of our problem is motivation - we've had 40 years of neoliberalism telling us the state owes us nothing besides tax credits and we owe the state nothing besides paying our taxes and obeying the law. We're already halfway to losing public healthcare, so we won't even be able to fight for that. We need a fundamental paradigm shift to save this country, and I'm not sure if we have the will or the imagination.

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Well said. With the way things are going globally, climate change, AI takeover, I don't know what to worry about more. Fun days.

[–] GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca 1 points 14 hours ago

At least it's interesting to watch!

[–] iamthetot@piefed.ca 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Ah, so you brought it with you!

/s

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 day ago

Heheh sorry guys i jinxed everyone.

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

In some ways, you lived next to the US then, and you live next to the US now. :D

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

True. There's no escape from those fuckers.

[–] AFallingAnvil@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago

The sun never sets on the shithead empire

[–] discomatic@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Every Lebanese person I've ever met has been rad AF. Please explain.

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)
[–] discomatic@lemmy.ca 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

How every single person from your country is so nice! I don't understand. I've never met a single Lebanese person that was anything but funny and sweet and kind.

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 1 points 16 hours ago

You haven't met enough i suppose. There's a lot of shit people from Lebanon just as from anywhere else in the world, no matter the race or religion. I've met wonderful Canadians and some bad ones, same with US folks. I appreciate your nice words though, it's positive, if this was reddit i would have been attacked by now. Thanks :) stay good!

[–] AFallingAnvil@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Why you're all rad, I presume

[–] ZiggyTheZygote@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago

I was born that way, what else can I say :)