Australia, Canada can ‘set the agenda’ on global peace
Canada’s prime minister has called for “rapid de-escalation” in the Middle East and wants Australia to help restore international order.
Mark Carney, visiting Australia for the first time as a leader, told the Lowy Institute in Sydney that coalitions of like-minded allies are needed more than ever after US and Israeli attacks on Iran were met with retaliatory strikes.
Mr Carney described Iran as a “serial offender of international law” and a “major source of instability and terrorism”.
He harshly criticized its targeting of many Gulf countries in the region.
But he also abandoned his initial determined support for American and Israeli actions to kill Ayatollah Ali Khameneini, saying they must abide by the rules of engagement.
“We take this position with some regret, because the current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order,” he told a packed audience on Wednesday evening.
He said Canada is ready to help end hostilities in the Middle East.
He said Canada and Australia have legitimacy and trust on their side, and other countries look to them for stability.
Both nations had the capacity to rebuild a global order based on the values of respect for human rights, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Australia and Canada cannot put pressure like the great powers, but we can set the agenda,” he said.
Mr. Carney, a harsh critic of military campaigns, noted that “change through coercion does not last long.”
Unlike global superpowers, which “act without restraint or respect for international norms or laws,” agile middle power coalitions have a tactical advantage, he said.
“We can shape the rules, organize and build capacity through coalitions that deliver results quickly and globally,” Mr. Carney said.
“The middle powers have more power than most people think.”
Mr. Carney touched on the global appeal of his striking speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, referencing the memorable quote “If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”
Earlier on Wednesday he took steps to ensure both Australia’s and Canada’s super-sized superannuation funds cooperate more closely to compete on the global economic stage.
Nine Australian funds representing 14 million accounts and $1.4 trillion in assets have signed an agreement with Canadian funds that will help them get more return on their investments.
It is estimated that countries’ respective pension systems will manage a total of $20 trillion in assets by 2040.
The Canadian government has said that by 2024, Canadian direct investment in Australia is about $60 billion, with about $30 billion going the other way.
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