this post was submitted on 21 Jan 2026
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Invoking Vaclav Havel, he said it was time to stop pretending that what the western powers called a rules-based order was not a self-serving sham.

“Great powers can afford, for now, to go it alone. They have the market size, the military capacity and the leverage to dictate terms. Middle powers do not. But when we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness. We accept what’s offered. We compete with each other to be the most accommodating,” he said

“Being a happy vassal is one thing, being a miserable slave is something else,” he said.

“If you back down now, you’re going to lose your dignity, and that’s probably the most precious thing you can have in a democracy, it’s your dignity.”

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[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 125 points 1 week ago (2 children)

The speech is here. It’s really good. It is perhaps the most incisive and important speech I’ve ever seen from a modern politician, and I think it may be considered something of a turning point in the future.

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 57 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Indeed a great speech... hopefully it's not just words

Here is a version with better quality audio

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 43 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Carney has always spoken like this when dealing with chaotic situations. He did when he led the Bank of Canada during the '08 financial crisis and again during Brexit when he led the Bank of England.

He doesn't lie or use platitudes when speaking on important issues ... which is why Canadians are hopeful we can survive the current maelstrom.

[–] fennesz12@feddit.dk 27 points 1 week ago

We really need to be strong in this. When Trump starts to turn his attention to Canada again, I want all of Europe to back up Canada the same way Canada backed up Greenland. We can't let this shit keep going.

[–] fennesz12@feddit.dk 39 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I have seen this speech many times. I think it is going to go down in history, as the speech that correctly identified the end of the american golden age. It is the first important speech in the western world, that was given not by an american for freedom and order, but against america for freedom and order.

[–] bearboiblake@pawb.social 18 points 1 week ago (2 children)

America has literally never been a force for freedom nor peace and anyone who believes as much is a victim of propaganda.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Wow, someone who pays attention. Cheers!

[–] fennesz12@feddit.dk 1 points 1 week ago

Absolutely. It's insane.

[–] Quilotoa@lemmy.ca 94 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I watched the speech. It's one of the most profound, intelligent speeches I've ever heard a politician give.

[–] MoonManKipper@lemmy.world 39 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Agreed, we should always expect such coherence and conciseness from our leaders. Up your game Starmer!

[–] CIA_chatbot@lemmy.world 34 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Nah here in the US we went a different way and it’s working out great!

~/s~

[–] MoonManKipper@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

I’m glad you’re enjoying it 😁

[–] yucandu@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I'd like to meet the person who wrote it.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 week ago

Carney himself wrote it. He's attended Davos 30+ times so is quite comfortable speaking to the rich rabble.

[–] jaxxed@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I guarantee you Carney was heavily involved in writing it. Nobody writes that speech alone, but he isn't the kind of guy to leave it to others.

[–] orbitz@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago

There were mentions that he wrote his own speech from others. From what I understand it's probably true since that would be his regular type of conference as a head banker previously. I'll be honest haven't listened to it or know a lot about Carney but this is what I've gleened in comments about his speech. Guess I knew about his banker credentials before and he helped us through the 08 crisis which Canada went through decently. Though I had no idea who he was until the leader of the liberal party

From everything I've read about his speech, which I will listen to at some point, makes me feel better with him in charge if we aren't going to be more progressive.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 49 points 1 week ago

Isn't this what the EU worked out in the 80s. A bunch of small countries have a bunch of small voices. Together they're a world force.

Trade unions worked in out before them.

[–] arin@lemmy.world 43 points 1 week ago

I hate that we have nukes, our government literally fired all the reasonable people and put in corrupt retards incharge. Remember when Trump asked about nuking the hurricane? There's no asking next time he remembers about nukes, all these retarded loyalist will just yes man us to world end.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago

“Being a happy vassal is one thing, being a miserable slave is something else,” he said.

If this doesn't sum up modern resignation I don't know what does. Capitalism sure does create a bunch of cucks the wealthy get to manipulate. But hey, if you put your foot down you can be a happy vassal. WTF.

[–] bearboiblake@pawb.social 16 points 1 week ago (6 children)

The only solution to fascism is to move towards socialism. Anyone who tells you otherwise is fucking lying to you.

This asshole finally admits what I have been flamed for saying on this website, but he only says it after a whole load of "fuck socialism" beforehand, because SOCIALISM IS THE SOLUTION. HE IS THE POISON. He does not want you to have the cure.

Rule of law is fucking FAKE. It always HAS been. Any semblance of comfort or security you get from the idea that you have rights and legal protections IS A PHANTOM.

YOU NEED TO JOIN A UNION, NOW.

YOU NEED TO ORGANIZE, NOW.

YOU NEED TO ARM YOURSELF, NOW.

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

There’s a lot of unions that are literally white supremisist gangs and there’s literally no accountability for that fact. I know because I’m blackballed for standing up to union officers threatening to lynch black apprentices on the job in California so until that is fixed “join a union “ as a blanket statement is ignorant

[–] TORFdot0@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Unions are just a vehicle for worker organization. Workers don’t have to be leftist, they can be fascist too. But either way, they are stronger together. The union was successful in strengthening white supremacy in your case.

The solution then would be to form a stronger union counter to the entrenched one aligned with your beliefs system (as daunting as that may sound) or switch careers I guess

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

White supremisists gatekeep a lot of the high paid construction unions

[–] BanMe@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

Right absolutely gathering all the heads of all the countries together and telling them "what we need now is unfettered socialism" is going to go over SO WELL. They'll definitely listen to that. In that Canada isn't socialist and neither are they.

But maybe if you post bigger it'll happen, idk

[–] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

The US was perfectly positioned to adopt socialism about 15-30 years ago. The boomers blew that right out of the water, though. "More for me and mine, and fuck everyone else" according to them.

[–] DigitalAudio@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago (15 children)

Not trying to contradict anything you said, I am interested in socialism as a model, generally speaking, but I don't know much about its economic or social model.

As someone very close to socialist countries that have done rather poorly, I have a few questions about it.

What exactly is pushing people and producers from tending towards mediocrity in socialism? I hate capitalism and how it affects us culturally, but the one thing I think it can succeed at (when monopolies are properly combatted), is using competition to push for excellence. Of course, I know nowadays it's not the case because anti-trusts have been gutted so we're full of monopolies and duopolies everywhere. But generally speaking, why would anyone make any effort for excellence under systems that don't reward it or punish mediocrity?

I'm not saying we should trend towards capitalism where mediocrity is punished by starvation or death by exposure to the elements, but isn't mediocrity, lack of consistent maintenance of common goods, etc kind of a huge problem of public and social governments etc?

They seem to be very good at equalising the playing field and providing for the needy, but it seems like persistent deterioration of common goods, infrastructure, etc is a pervasive issue in most communist governments that have been tried. Which leads to a lot of losses, inefficiencies and oversight. How would a new socialist model address these common issues? They're not minor things that should just be hand-waved away either.

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[–] flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz 13 points 1 week ago

Welcome back Non-Aligned Movement

[–] steeznson@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It would be great if the middle powers could form some kind of "common" "wealth" but seems outlandish at the moment

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

A kind of Third World, independent of the dueling hegemony, as it were?

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago (3 children)

This would be rousing to me if Carney weren't an international banker who's a-okay with runaway capitalism taking over his country in the same way it's decimated the US.

[–] RaskolnikovsAxe@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 week ago (12 children)

Yeah Canada and the US are really the same. Sure buddy. Steaming hot pile of take right there.

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[–] vin@lemmynsfw.com 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not even mentioning growing inequality and housing costs at world "economic" forum will always feel odd to me

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

Everything is fine, ignore the booms and busts. They are part of the design.

The cult of money is truly a circle jerk of epic proportions.

[–] beanie@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 week ago (3 children)

The Canadian banking system is different, by design, which left Canada relatively unscathed during the financial meltdown. Guess who Canada’s central banker was during all that? Mark Carney.

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Its funny, when third world countries are slave states, thats just how the world works. When "white" countries taste the same, suddenly that becomes world news.

If this was not a "white" country, the leader would have been deposed by now.

[–] crystalmerchant@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago (2 children)

...what were the first and second paths?

[–] shawn1122@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

First path is align with great power #1.

Second path is align with great power #2.

Third path is non alignment / continuing to pursue multilateralism amongst middle powers.

He wisely never refers to the US or China directly in the speech.

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