« Though he has mostly avoided picking fights with Trump, Carney has been consistently resolute in refusing to cede an inch to Trumpâs most egregious demands.
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[W]e need more Carneys. If the rest of the west cannot defend our way of life and liberty, it will assuredly fall apart. In the best-case scenario, we can become a refuge or source of inspiration to the millions of Americans who feel the same way. By refusing to bend the knee, we can help redress Americaâs maladies. »
â Edward Luce, US national editor and columnist at the Financial Times. (archived)
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, in less than a year, has become one of the most effective leaders in the West. He doesn't kowtow to Trump but has avoided the type of flare-ups which Trump likes to provoke.
More importantly, Carney has been gradually reducing Canada's economic dependence on the United States. As an economist who headed both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, he understands the strengths of diversifying one's portfolio.
Nationally, Carney has an approval rating of 52% â putting him 13 points above water. Those numbers are almost the direct opposite of Trump in the US. His Liberal Party won 169 seats in Parliament in the April 2025 federal election, 3 seats short of a majority; but defections from the opposition Conservatives have boosted the Liberals' total to 171. The Liberals may very well end up with a majority as 2026 progresses.
Other Western leaders would do better if they spent more time observing Carney's success and less time attempting to mollify Trump.
A strong Canada is good for the US in the long run. It's useful to observe close up more than one way of doing things.
