Carney Touts Rising Alliance of Middle Powers During Paris Visit
OTTAWA — On a visit to Paris, Prime Minister Mark Carney said he believes the idea of middle powers uniting against “hegemons” is gaining significant traction, echoing themes from his widely discussed speech in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year.
“It’s really gaining traction,” Carney said Friday during a news conference in the French capital. “You see it in the agreements that we have, you see … the ones that are reflected in concrete business-to-business and research agreements that are coming soon.”
New Security Agreement Deepens Canada-France Defense Ties
Carney met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, where both leaders announced a new general information security agreement designed to deepen defense ties between the two countries and facilitate the exchange of classified information.
The prime minister described Canada’s relationship with France as more than friendship, repeating comments he made last month that the international order would be rebuilt from Europe.
“Canada, France and Europe are poised to be a powerful force for good in the coming century,” Carney said.
Shared Vision Amid Fragmented International Order
Macron said France serves as an important bridge between Canada and Europe.
“More than ever, we share the same understanding of the world,” he said. “We find that the international order is fragmented, characterized by the return of power politics, by challenges to established rules, by economic coercion, by interference and information warfare.”
G7 Summit Agenda: Iran, Ukraine, AI, and Global Trade
Carney’s visit to Paris is part of a week-long trip that concludes with the annual G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. Macron holds the G7 presidency this year after Carney held it in 2025 and hosted the summit in Kananaskis, Alta., last year.
Next week’s summit agenda will focus on the Iran war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, support for Ukraine, regulation of artificial intelligence and social media, global trade imbalances with China, and key mineral supply chains.
“If you look at the key security issues around the Gulf, the evolution of the Gulf War and the situation in Ukraine, the security situation and the provision of support, those are very common goals,” Carney said, adding that there may be different approaches to AI.
“I look forward to this summit and I look forward to the broader participation that will take place at the summit, everyone from Kenya to the United Arab Emirates will be part of the broader outreach, that is an important part of it,” he added.
Social Media Age Restrictions and Tech CEOs on the Agenda
G7 members Canada, France, and the United Kingdom have all passed laws to impose age restrictions on social media use in their respective countries. CEOs of major American technology companies are expected to attend this year’s summit.
Carney’s Strategy of Diversifying Away from U.S. Dependence
Carney’s strategy of building alliances between mid-sized powers, particularly in Europe, is central to his attempt to move away from Canada’s dependence on the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the summit, which begins Monday, as U.S.-Iran peace talks remain stalled due to repeated violations of a two-month-old ceasefire.
Carney said Canada was ready to play a role in securing the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, but only if a ceasefire was reached and the strait was reopened.
