Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Thursday (Mar 5) that he could not entirely rule out Canada’s military participation in the escalating Middle East war, though he emphasised his remarks were purely hypothetical. Speaking in Canberra alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Carney stressed that Canada would stand by its allies while always defending its citizens.
The visit to Australia, part of a multi-country Asia-Pacific tour aimed at reducing reliance on the United States, has been overshadowed by the conflict triggered by a massive US-Israeli strike on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Carney condemned the strikes as “inconsistent with international law,” but reaffirmed Canada’s support for preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons—a stance he described as taken “with regret” amid failures in the international order.
Carney also called for de-escalation in the conflict, highlighting the broader risks of rising geopolitical tensions. During a parliamentary address in Australia, he urged “middle powers” like Canada and Australia to collaborate in shaping global rules, rather than allowing great powers to dictate the international system. “In this brave new world, middle powers cannot simply build higher walls and retreat behind them. We must work together,” he said, warning that compulsion by great powers carries both reputational and financial costs.
He further outlined enhanced cooperation between Canada and Australia in defence, artificial intelligence, and the strategic pooling of rare earth mineral resources. Carney described the two countries as “strategic collaborators” committed to aligning values with action to build resilient capabilities, cautioning that failure to act together could leave them “caught between the hyperscalers and the hegemons.”
The Canadian leader has previously clashed with former U.S. President Donald Trump over trade and border tensions, warning at the World Economic Forum in January that the U.S.-led global order was facing a “rupture.” Carney’s Asia-Pacific tour underscores Canada’s strategy to strengthen partnerships with like-minded nations amid a shifting international landscape.
