Carney's Davos speech was a sales pitch – Part II

Trump's fascism is forcing Canada's democracy to choose between liberal values and survival. I think Carney has chosen survival.

After publishing my breakdown of Carney's speech at the World Economic Forum I couldn't stop rifling through references and thoughts, trying to find the perspective I missed. It was a sales pitch, I have no doubt of that – the structure and content of the speech made that very clear. But I hadn't yet reconciled where Trump fit into it. I decided to watch more panels and discussions from the World Economic Forum, trying to get a sense of what the anxieties of the other attendees were.

And listen I know the obvious anxieties were "TRUMP". We all assume that. Which is why Carney's speech sounded so peculiar to me – I assumed it was cryptic in order to evade Trump and his barely-literate goons. But then why was he aligning so squarely with Trump policy-wise? And why isn't he fighting harder for Alberta? Or the health (mental and physical) of his country? And why hasn't he made any effort to protect Canada's digital sovereignty despite 70 different civil society groups begging him to since last fall? But I digress...

Speakers seemed especially sensitive about the risk of media forming "narratives", which came up often throughout the panels. And fine, understandable. Things are tense. The WEF political and corporate leaders criticized the media moderators for needling them to "choose a side", most notably CEO of JPMorgan Jamie Dimon, who, incidentally, during his session also mentioned JPMorgan would happily pay a universal basic income if a government asked them to...

Anyway the vibe was "don't give the media any fuel". Not a stretch of course, given their level of influence. But because everyone seemed to be editing out the same information, it felt like a mystery.

And then of course, came Carney's fiery speech.

During the closing remarks moderated by CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin, when asked to comment on Carney's speech, Christina Lagarde (president of the European Central Bank) started with, "I'm not exactly on the same page as Mark", she expressed that "rupture" was too strong a word and urged others in the room to "try to distinguish the signal from the noise". She urged, "we have to think about the people", noting distribution of wealth and growing disparities were great risks to societies.

She continued by questioning AI, "is it going to be open-source, or not? Is it a common good? How is it governed? How is it regulated? Do we want to facilitate this terrible path that we have observed with the use of social media?" She stated "we have a duty of truth... it takes time to build trust, it doesn't take much time to erode it."

Lagarde's sentiments put the PM's speech in a new light, and it occurred to me that through all its cryptic flourishes, it might've been a plea to the global leaders to team up with Trump as a Western economic alliance against the "great powers" Russia, China and Iran. He may have actually been there to encourage support for working with Trump, for the sake of the West. I turned this idea over for a few days and as I did, Canadian federal policy announcements and public service cuts began to roll out, and alignments started to emerge.

As I began writing this piece, I decided to find as many similarities between Trump's policies and Carney's as I could. I found several, which I've listed below, but before we get to that – in my sniffing around I also came across a speech Carney made to the military in June 2025, and pressed play out of curiosity.

The speech appears to be the first iteration of the Davos speech, written for a military audience rather than a corporate capital one. Here it is transcribed in full, and the video is here. I won't break it down like I did his Davos speech, but I've bolded parts of the speech that are similar to one delivered at WEF, and some are bolded for emphasis:

Threats from a more dangerous and divided world are unraveling the rules-based international order. An order that was fused by the settlements at the end of the Second World War and the end of the Cold War. An order on which Canada has relied for longer than many of our lifetimes. 

And while the consequences of these developments are profound, we have agency. We have agency in determining what comes next. Canada can work towards a new international set of partnerships that are more secure, prosperous, just, and free. We can pursue deeper alliances with stable democracies who share our interests, values, principles, and history. And we can help create a new era of integration between like-minded partners that maximizes mutual support over mutual dependency. A new system of cooperation that promotes greater resilience rather than merely a quest for greater efficiency.

Now, we can aspire to such a world, but aspiration without effort is just empty rhetoric. If we want a better world, we will have to make difficult choices and work harder than we've had to in decades.

Government must start by fulfilling its most fundamental role which is to defend Canadians. And the primary focus of my remarks today will be the nature and scale of what that will require in this new age. But first, let me stress that there can be no true security without economic prosperity.

And that's one of the many reasons why so much of the energies of Canada's new government is dedicated and will be dedicated to transforming our economy to become the strongest in the G7. Getting there will require doubling the rate of home building, creating one Canadian economy out of 13, realizing our full potential as an energy superpower, pursuing a host of other nation building projects, and diversifying our international commercial relationships with reliable partners. 

None of these goals will come easily or quickly. All will require ambition, collaboration, and yes, on occasion, sacrifice. 

In a darker, more competitive world, Canadian leadership will be defined not just by the strength of our values, but also the value of our strength.

A more confident, united Canada, a stronger Canada can help transform this age of disorder into an era of prosperity for all Canadians. And simply put, if we want a more reliable world, we need a stronger Canada. If Canada came of age at Vimy Ridge, we matured in the decades that followed D-Day. 

Since the Second World War, Canada has asserted its independence. We forged our own identity and new alliances. Increasingly, we distanced ourselves from the United Kingdom and developed closer ties with the United States. We were by the side of the United States throughout the Cold War and in the decades that followed, when the United States played a predominant role on the world stage.

Today, that predominance is a thing of the past. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, the United States became the global hegemon. Its gravitational pole on Canada, always strong, became virtually irresistible and made the US our closest ally. and dominant trading partner. 

But now the United States is beginning to monetize its hegemony, charging for access to its markets, and reducing its relative contribution to our collective security. In parallel, the world's trade routes, allegiances, energy systems, and even intelligence itself are being rewired.

Rising great powers are now in strategic competition with America. A new imperialism threatens. Middle powers must compete for interests and attention, knowing that if they're not at the table, they're on the menu. 

Indeed, the threats that Canada faces are multiplying. Hostile powers, including foreign governments and non-state actors, are transcending geography to threaten our sovereignty. Terrorist entities have developed new capabilities and expanded their reach to challenge global security and put our communities at risk. 

Cyber attacks from the other side of the world can undermine our government, bankrupt our businesses, and paralyze our infrastructure. In addition to their cyber security capabilities, the traditional military capabilities of countries like China and Russia are also expanding.

Unfortunately, we can no longer rely on our geographic positioning to protect Canadians in the face of these threats. That Canada's geographic location will protect us is becoming increasingly archaic.

Threats which felt far away and remote are now immediate and acute. And as our climate changes and the polar ice recedes, Canada's Arctic is becoming more accessible and more vulnerable to commercial and military activity. We've been jolted awake by new threats to our security and sovereignty, including from an emboldened Russia and an assertive China.

Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine shattered previous assumptions of European post-Cold War security leading to sharp reappraisals of the costs of collective responsibility and underscoring how precious and precarious our international law, sovereignty, territorial integrity and human rights.

Disregarding these principles would not only betray our values but also imperil our nation. When we stand up for territorial integrity, whether it's in Ukraine or West Bank and Gaza, we are also standing up for the territorial integrity of the Canadian Arctic. 

10 years ago, Canada's defense spending fell to less than 1% of GDP. It has since doubled in cash terms, but it's still not close enough to face these mounting risks. The brave women and men who are protecting our sovereignty do not have the resources they need for a riskier world. Our military infrastructure and equipment have aged, hindering our military preparedness. 

I give an example or two. Only one of our four submarines is seaworthy. Less than half our maritime fleet and land vehicles are operational. More broadly, we're too reliant on the United States. And so for all those reasons, I'm announcing today that Canada will achieve NATO's 2% of GDP target this year, half a decade ahead of schedule.

And we will further accelerate our investments in years to come. Consistent with meeting these new security imperatives, we'll start by changing the way we support and invest in our armed forces. We will change the way we arm the men and women who serve. So we can fight on new battlegrounds in unfamiliar territory. So we can defend every inch of our sovereign territory from seafloor to the Arctic to cyberspace. So we can protect Canadians, our interests, and our allies. Canada's new government will rebuild, reinvest, and rearm the Canadian Armed Forces with a strategy that rests on four pillars. investing in the foundations of defense, the women and men who serve and the equipment and infrastructure that they use. 

Second, we will enhance and expand our military capabilities. Third, we'll strengthen Canada's defense industry, and we will diversify Canada's defense partnerships. I call on all parties in parliament to support these critical investments in our security and sovereignty. Our plan will help ensure that Canada is strong at home and reliable abroad. 

We will ensure that every dollar is invested wisely, including by prioritizing made in Canada manufacturing and supply chains. We should no longer send three-quarters of our defense capital spending to America. We will invest in new submarines, aircraft, ships, armed vehicles, and artillery, as well as new radar, drones, and sensors to monitor the seafloor and the Arctic. 

We will repair and maintain our ships, our aircraft and infrastructure that for too long we allowed to rust and deteriorate. We will invest in satellite technology in order to detect and prevent threats for Canada and its allies. We will ensure Canada's north is protected with a larger sustained year-round Canadian armed forces presence on land, sea, and air. We will expand the reach, security mandate, and the abilities of the Canadian Coast Guard and integrate it into our NATO defense capabilities to better secure our sovereignty and expand maritime surveillance.

As part of our new strategic approach to defense and security, we will also establish Borealis, the Bureau of Research Engineering, and advanced leadership in Innovation and Science. Borealis will advance cutting edge research in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other frontier technologies essential to safeguarding our sovereignty.

We will alleviate the shortage of personnel in the Canadian armed forces by modernizing our recruitment process, building new housing on our military bases, and improving access to health and child care services. We will give every member of our armed forces a well-deserved salary increase which will also contribute to recruitment and retaining personnel. 

At this very time, the Canadian armed forces are fighting wildfires to protect our fellow Canadians and their communities. They defend our coastlines and our waters. They patrol the Arctic and support our allies on the borders of Russia. And they do all of that in difficult conditions and too often with inadequate equipment. They deserve better and they will have better. 

In parallel, we are actively seeking to strengthen transatlantic security, particularly by becoming a participant in Rearm Europe. This will help diversify our military suppliers with reliable European partners and integrate the Canadian defense industry as full participants in 150 billion euros of Europe's rearmament program.

To these ends, the Canada EU summit later this month will be more important than ever. And Canada will arrive at this summit with a plan to lead with new investments to build our strength in service of our values. This will include our support for a new NATO defense industrial pledge which will be negotiated at the NATO summit.

The defense industrial pledge encompasses both assets and infrastructure that support our defense goals. Canada is confident that our economic strategy and our many strategic resources from critical minerals to cyber will make major contributions to NATO security.

We will support tangible commitments from our allies to provide NATO with the necessary resolve to deter aggression and protect against all adversaries in all domains. Our fundamental goal in all of this is to protect Canadians, not to satisfy NATO accountants. Not security. What will ensure our security and that of all the citizens of NATO countries is tangible progress and not a mathematical calculation. That is the approach that Canada will be advocating and the one we will present to our NATO allies later on this month.

We will undertake this transformation of our military capabilities strategically, deliberately, and impactfully. Canada's Department of National Defense will immediately design a new defense policy that reflects both today's and tomorrow's threats, informed by experts, some in this room, and the experience of allies and partners, including Ukraine.

We are in the process of creating a new defense procurement agency that will be guided by that new defense industrial strategy and overseen by our newly appointed secretary of state for defense procurement. The Defense Procurement Agency will centralize decision-making and move at pace to get our armed forces the equipment they need when they need it.

We will ensure that Canadian workers and businesses benefit from the huge increase in defense procurement that will be required using Canadian steel, Canadian aluminum, Canadian critical minerals, Canadian cyber capacity. We will increase our industrial capabilities and give ourselves all the necessary tools to respond to our own defense needs and seize the associated opportunities. We will invest more in munitions, including those produced by a whole range of allies. 

It will be challenging to protect Canada and Canadians against growing and changing threats, all while building a stronger Canadian economy. But these are the imperatives of a more dangerous world. And as his majesty the king reminded us just two weeks ago, our greatest challenges present immense opportunities to build the military we need. 

We can deploy and develop Canadian innovation, Canadian ingenuity, Canadian industry. The transformation of our military capabilities can help with the transformation of our economy.

Today, National Defense already accounts for over 275,000 direct and indirect jobs across the country in over 3,000 communities, every province, every territory. Our renewed commitment to defense will create tens of thousands of more fulfilling, high-paying careers for Canadian workers. It will create enormous opportunities for Canadian businesses, yes, in the defense sector, but across a link of supply chains. From the production of the raw materials, steel and aluminum to the truckers and rail workers who ensure their transit to those who transform those materials into equipment, weapons, ammunition, vehicles. It will help drive innovation sectors including AI, quantum, and cyber. 

It will safeguard Canada as well as our interests and allies abroad. It will build Canada strong. We will ensure our security in a world that has been deeply transformed. We will create good careers and prosperity across Canada. And in so doing, we will also protect that prosperity, protect our quality of life and protect our way of living. 

Throughout Canada's history, there have been turning points where the world's fortunes were in the balance. That was the case at the start of the Second World War, just as it was at the end of the Cold War. And each time, Canada chose to step up, to assert ourselves as a free, sovereign, and ambitious nation to lead on the path of democracy and freedom. And we are once again at such a hinge moment.

It is time for Canada to chart its own path and to assert itself on the international stage. It is time to defend our values with those who share them. It is time to share with the world a distinctive approach and vision to act with urgency, with force, with determination. As the world grows more dangerous, Canada will ensure our country is protected from coast to coast to coast while creating higher paying jobs across the land. 

Canada will lead with the values the world respects, the resources the world wants, an economy that leads the G7.

We will build a strong, secure, and sovereign future for all Canadians and for all time. Thank you very much.

The Davos speech was "part 2" to his military speech

This speech was delivered about seven months before Carney spoke at the World Economic Forum. The WEF speech could almost be considered a "follow up" to the speech above. So what are the main shifts in tone between the two?

1. In his Davos speech, he drilled down on criticizing the "rules-based international order":

For decades, countries like Canada prospered under what we called the rules-based international order. We joined its institutions, we praised its principles, we benefited from its predictability. And because of that, we could pursue values-based foreign policies under its protection.

We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false, that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient, that trade rules were enforced asymmetrically. And we knew that international law applied with varying rigour depending on the identity of the accused or the victim.

2. He acknowledges American hegemony used to protect the order:

This fiction was useful, and American hegemony, in particular, helped provide public goods, open sea lanes, a stable financial system, collective security and support for frameworks for resolving disputes.

and of course,

This bargain no longer works. Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.

Note that he never says it isn't working because of America, just that that old system no longer works.

3. He encourages cooperation among global middle powers:

Collective investments in resilience are cheaper than everyone building their own fortresses. Shared standards reduce fragmentations. Complementarities are positive sum. And the question for middle powers like Canada is not whether to adapt to the new reality – we must. The question is whether we adapt by simply building higher walls, or whether we can do something more ambitious.

4. And he acknowledges not everyone collaborating will share the same values:

Or, to put another way, we aim to be both principled and pragmatic – principled in our commitment to fundamental values, sovereignty, territorial integrity, the prohibition of the use of force, except when consistent with the UN Charter, and respect for human rights, and pragmatic in recognizing that progress is often incremental, that interests diverge, that not every partner will share all of our values.

Which is further reaffirmed here:

This is not naive multilateralism, nor is it relying on their institutions. It’s building coalitions that work – issues by issue, with partners who share enough common ground to act together.

Note: "share enough common ground..."

5. He acknowledges negotiating with a hegemon bilaterally is bad...

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...

This is not sovereignty. It’s the performance of sovereignty while accepting subordination. In a world of great power rivalry, the countries in between have a choice – compete with each other for favour, or to combine to create a third path with impact.

6. He again encourages cooperation, but doesn't expressly indicate cooperation against America. And his words could very well be explaining why Canada isn't breaking from U.S. partnership:

We are a stable and reliable partner in a world that is anything but. A partner that builds and values relationships for the long term...

We understand that this rupture calls for more than adaptation. It calls for honesty about the world as it is...

This is the task of the middle powers, the countries that have the most to lose from a world of fortresses and have most to gain from genuine co-operation...

The powerful have their power.

But we have something too – the capacity to stop pretending, to name reality, to build our strength at home and to act together.

I still think he was sending a flag up to global corporate powers to ramp up investment in Canada's industries and resources, that much is obvious. But I think he was also advocating on behalf of cooperating with the U.S. in the face of threats from Russia, China and Iran.

Now let's return to sharing common ground. Here is the ground shared between Carney and the U.S.. This information is recent as of January 30th, 2025:

On the United Arab Emirates (UAE):

Trump

• UAE is "a hub for the Trump organization's international expansion" - Forbes
  "the president and his family have entered into at least nine agreements with ties to the gulf nation—some involving government entities in the country, many stemming from business relationships developed there. Together, the ventures, which include five licensing agreements and three cryptocurrency deals, will provide an estimated $500 million in 2025—and about $50 million annually for years into the future."

Carney:

• in November 2025 created the Canada-UAE Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) with the UAE
  "This agreement establishes clear, predictable rules for investors and ensures a stable business environment to unlock billions in bilateral investment. It will give Canadian firms – from engineering and construction to clean tech and AI – the confidence to expand abroad, creating high-paying careers in Canada." - gc.ca

On the Public Service Sector:

Trump:

• "Slash and burn" dismantling of public service sector.
  "The dismantling of the U.S. federal workforce under Trump is not just an American crisis—it’s a cautionary tale for Canada. The rhetoric of “government inefficiency” is gaining traction here too, serving as a convenient excuse for potential deep cuts, mass layoffs, and the erosion of essential public services." - PIPSC

Carney:

• 30 federal departments have issued job cut notices.
  "The government plans to cut the number of public service jobs by about 40,000" - Global News
• "Data provided by the unions shows Statistics Canada has released the greatest number of notices so far, with 3,200 notices issued to employees. According to the unions, 2,395 notices were issued at Global Affairs Canada, 1,900 notices to employees at Health Canada, and 1,290 notices to unionized employees at Shared Services Canada." - CTV News
• Workforce adjustment (WFA) notices tracker - Public Service Alliance of Canada

On DEI:

Trump:

• Trump signs orders ending diversity programs; federal DEI staffers being placed on leave
  "Mr. Trump said he will direct the Office of Management and Budget to end all related mandates, policies and programs across agencies, including all initiatives that aim to promote diversity, equity and inclusion within departments. His aim is to restore what the administration considers to be a merit-based hiring system, according to officials and the text of the order." - CBS News

Carney:

• Department for Women and Gender Equality is facing budget cuts of 80% in their recently released departmental plan
  "we are alarmed that the Department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) is facing budget cuts of 80% in their recently released departmental plan. This massive budget reduction would effectively gut the entire department responsible for women’s rights and gender equality in this country. It will be impossible for WAGE to fulfill its mandate under these circumstances. And while these are devastating cuts to WAGE, the funds freed up to invest elsewhere are a mere drop in the bucket of the overall federal budget." - YWCA Canada
• Advocates call absence of disability ministry in PM's new cabinet 'a real slap in the face' - CBC News

On the Environment & Fossil Fuel Expansion:

Trump:

• One Year of Trump: How the US Reversed Climate Progress, at Home and Abroad - Earth.org

Carney:

• raised Keystone XL pipeline revival in meeting with Trump - CBC News
• "These are the environmental programs to be cut under Carney’s first budget" - The Narwhal
• "Now, environmental groups and others are concerned that the apparent pivot from the Carney government will reverse years of progress made on nature conservation." CBC News
• ‘Incredible alignment’: Canada is picking away at an oil and gas industry wish list - The Narwhal
• Liberal MP Steven Guilbeault has quit cabinet over the federal government signing Thursday’s memorandum of understanding with Alberta - CBC News

On Defense:

Trump:

• "We want to recruit, train, equip, and field the world’s most powerful, lethal, and technologically advanced military to protect our interests, deter wars, and—if necessary—win them quickly and decisively" - White House National Security Strategy
• "In addition to maintaining economic preeminence and consolidating our alliance system into an economic group, the United States must execute robust diplomatic and private sector-led economic engagement in those countries where the majority of global economic growth is likely to occur over the coming decades." - White House National Security Strategy

Carney:

• "Carney plans $18 billion over four years for defence" - CBC News
• "If we want a better world, we will have to make difficult choices... let me stress that there can be no true security without economic prosperity... diversifying our international commercial relationships with reliable partners... rising great powers are now in strategic competition with America. A new Imperialism threatens. " - CBC Video
• Concerns raised that another Canadian Army project is being tailored just for U.S. equipment - Ottawa Citizen
• Subsidiary of Canadian security company cleared to provide up to $138-million in ‘emergency detention’ services to ICE - The Globe and Mail

On Foreign Policy & Human Rights:

Trump:

• "It has downplayed democracy promotion and human rights; it has withdrawn from multilateral institutions." - RUSI
• "contradictions between its America First isolationism and diplomatic and military interventions overseas, between its belligerent jingoism and deep-seated grievances." - RUSI
• Trump moves to cut $5bn in foreign aid already approved by Congress - BBC

Carney:

• Consistently votes with US or abstains re: UN resolutions regarding human rights - Digital Library
• "Did Carney just signal a massive shift in Canada's foreign policy direction?" - CBC News
• Carney: Budget's $2.7B cut to foreign aid leaves international development in limbo, say NGOs - CBC News
• UNAIDS chief urges Carney to reverse planned global health funding cuts - Global News
• Union warns foreign ministry cuts will hamper delivery of Carney doctrine  - The Hill Times

On Protecting Billionaires and Corporations:

Trump:

• List of Billionaires, Banks and Businesses Contributing to Trump Accounts  - Newsweek
• Trump’s Top Billionaire Donors - Forbes
• "The Trump administration has dropped, withdrawn or halted investigations and enforcement actions against over 100 corporations in its first two months in office, Public Citizen has found." - Public Citizen

Carney:

• Billionaires line up to support Mark Carney in Liberal leadership race - Investigative Journalism Foundation
• Carney: Bill C-15 would allow corporations to be exempt from most Canadian laws - Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
• Carney includes billionaires in 'middle class' tax cut pledge - Burlington Gazette
• Brookfield used Cayman Islands to register 3rd fund managed by Carney - CBC News
• The rich in Canada are, indeed, getting richer - Toronto Star
• "I’m an “elitist and a globalist” but “that’s exactly what we need”" - Juno News

On Workers and Unions:

Trump:

• The Biggest Act of Union-Busting In U.S. History" Trump's War on Federal Workers - The New York Times

Carney:

• Mark Carney's Union-Busting Legacy and the Liberal Party's Abandonment of Workers - Matthew Green, NDP
• "the Prime Minister’s decision to first eliminate the cabinet position for labour just before the election and then bring the position back as a secretary of state instead of a full minister is not just disappointing, but frankly insulting" - CUPE
• Air Canada flight attendants defy Carney’s back-to-work order - Spring Mag
• Flight attendants ordered back to work say labour law violates right to strike - CBC News

On Surveillance and AI:

Trump:

• Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Is Built on AI Surveillance and Disregard for Due Process - Freedom House
• The worries about AI in Trump’s social media surveillance - Politico
• US government is using AI for unprecedented social media surveillance - New Scientist

Carney:

• Canada’s Bill C-2 Opens the Floodgates to U.S. Surveillance - EFF
• Amid U.S. redaction scandal, Carney government developing AI systems to black out sensitive documents - Ottawa Citizen
• Carney sketches the broad strokes of an AI policy, but details remain vague - Calgary Journal
• Algorithmic Policing in Canada Explained - Citizen Lab

On Indigenous Rights:

Trump:

• How Trump administration cuts threaten Native Americans - WBUR

Carney:

• “A Subjugation”: First Nations Chiefs Blast Carney’s Nation-Building Scheme - The Walrus
• Creating a two-tiered Canada with budget cuts that divide by race - The Hill Times

On Science Funding:

Trump:

• Trump Takes a ‘Giant Wrecking Ball’ to U.S. Research - Scientific American
• Trump administration makes deep cuts to science funding - NPR

Carney:

• In Canada, scientists are struggling with stagnant funding - Science.org
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is closing seven of its research operations - The Globe and Mail

On Public Health:

Trump:

• Trump administration's deep cuts to public health leave system reeling - PBS News
• ‘Shameful’: Trump’s EPA accused of prioritizing big business over public health - The Guardian

Carney:

• Rolling cuts to Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada - This dashboard shows how many PSAC members have received workforce adjustment (WFA) notices (layoff notices) so far - WFA Tracker

All told

This isn't "elbows up". This is leveraging the crisis of U.S. fascism and Canadian fears of annexation to consolidate power and justify a "new order" that favours the corporate class.

I still hold that he serves capital before Canadians. I think, when backed into the corner of protecting Western globalist capitalism vs protecting liberal values, he's chosen the former, leaving behind liberal policies that no longer serve him. He's a banker about to become a wartime Prime Minister. I'm not convinced he won't succumb to the dehumanizing power of that position.

He has Trump's neofascism as cover while he aids the regime in the name of "sovereignty". They are the ""warring brothers" leading in the end to an uneasy neofascist-neoliberal alliance dominating the state and the media, rooted in the highest echelons of the monopoly-capitalist class" as described by John Bellamy Foster's review The U.S. Ruling Class and the Trump Regime. An enlightening read if you have the time.