FederAL gOVERNMENT: Strengthening canadian relationships: 1)(Updated) Carney calls on middle powers to band together in World Economic Forum speech; 2)Carney visiting Qatar to drum up investment despite ‘brutal’ human rights record; 3)Carney says Qatar will make ‘significant’ investments in Canada’s major projects; 4)(Updated) Carney says Chinese EV deal an ‘opportunity’ for Ontario, auto sector; 5)Chinese ambassador casts doubt on PM’s claim that Beijing agreed to visa-free entry
1)(Updated) Carney calls on middle powers to band together in World Economic Forum speech
Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press
By Kyle Duggan, January 20, 2026
The world has entered a risky new age of great power rivalries and middle powers need to join forces to survive, Prime Minister Mark Carney told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Tuesday.
As President Donald Trump prepares to bring his case for U.S. control of Greenland to the elite annual international forum on Wednesday, the prime minister warned leaders assembled there that they are not safe if they give into coercion and economic threats.
“Great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited,” Carney said in his speech.
“You cannot live within the lie of mutual benefit through integration when integration becomes the source of your subordination.”
The prime minister said countries like Canada prospered under the former rules-based international order — but the “old order is not coming back.”
“Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu,” he said, bringing a familiar talking point from last year’s election campaign to a global audience.
Throughout the day in Davos, world leaders called out the United States over its threats to take over Greenland.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the situation “crazy,” while Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever warned that America is not behaving like an ally.
Carney met with Macron on Tuesday. A readout from the Prime Minister’s Office said the two “reaffirmed their mutual commitment” to Denmark’s sovereignty, including Greenland.
Markets also sputtered on fears that a trade war is looming between the U.S. and the EU over the territory.
Carney told the Davos crowd the past year has shown the world is moving toward a system of economic coercion, with great powers pursuing their own interests above all else.
The prime minister said middle powers like Canada must adapt to this new reality — which why Canada is looking to expand non-U.S. trade through deals such as those signed recently with China and Qatar.
Carney has been criticized for not speaking out more forcefully on human rights while meeting with dictators as he seeks to attract new investment from abroad.
Less than a year ago, Carney publicly identified China as the greatest threat to Canadian national security.
In his Davos speech, the prime minister talked about how Canada is focusing on broad international engagement to “maximize” its influence on a turbulent world stage.
“We actively take on the world as it is, not wait around for a world we wish to be,” Carney said.
Carney said Canada was among the first to hear the “wake-up call” of the new great-power era — a reference to the U.S. imposing tariffs last year and threatening to make Canada the 51st state.
Trump, who is attending the World Economic Forum along with a core cadre of cabinet members and White House advisers, is scheduled to address the forum on Wednesday.
World leaders can walk around the town freely and may even bump into each other by chance, but it’s not clear if Trump and Carney will cross paths at all.
Carney is scheduled to leave for home late Wednesday. The Prime Minister’s Office said there is currently no meeting scheduled between Carney and Trump, though that could change.
The office does not routinely disclose when the two leaders communicate.
2)Carney visiting Qatar to drum up investment despite ‘brutal’ human rights record
Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press
By Dylan Robertson, Jan. 17, 2026.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to Qatar to drum up investment deals with a country known for both its brutal dictatorship and its growing diplomatic and economic influence.
“Today, the epicentre of diplomatic, economic, financial and commercial power in the Middle East is in the Gulf,” said University of Ottawa professor Thomas Juneau, an expert on the Persian Gulf.
“For Canada to neglect the region, as it did for the past 10 years, is a way to erase ourselves from the equation in the Middle East.”
Carney’s travel plans had him arriving in Doha late Saturday from Beijing, though the possibility of American military action against nearby Iran could change his plans.
On Sunday, Carney is set to take part in a reception at the bureaucratic headquarters of Qatar, the Amiri Diwan. He will then meet with Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, along with the country’s prime minister and its deputy prime minister.
All three officials are sheiks who are part of the House of Thani, which has ruled Qatar since 1868 and has the final say over government decisions. Qatar’s consultative assembly — its legislature — has very limited governing powers.
Carney will then meet with the Qatar Investment Authority before visiting a cultural institution and attending an official dinner.
Carney’s office said he will be seeking more trade access and partnerships in artificial intelligence, infrastructure, energy and defence while in Qatar.
Qatar’s natural gas wealth has bankrolled its state investments abroad, including rising investments in Canadian holdings.
The visit comes after Carney landed a large investment deal during a trip to the United Arab Emirates last November, where Abu Dhabi officials restricted media access to almost all his events.
Qatar is an American ally that has taken on increasing diplomatic importance. It hosted negotiations between Israel and Hamas and assisted Canada’s work to bring Ukrainian children abducted by Russia back to their families.
The country has attempted to take part in talks between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and between the Venezuelan regime and Washington. Qatar has hosted the Taliban delegation since the group took over Afghanistan in 2021, and Canada has had limited engagement with its officials on human rights issues.
“Qatar has decided that it would play the role of a mediator, of a facilitator of conflict resolution, and that to do that, it needed to be able to talk to everyone,” Juneau said.
Last spring, U.S. President Donald Trump accepted Qatar’s gift of a jet and last September he made Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologize for an airstrike on the Hamas compound in Doha earlier that month.
Qatar hosts many injured Palestinian children from Gaza, and Juneau said it is among the countries hoping Canada’s existing programs aimed at training Palestinian security forces in the West Bank can help build up Gaza if the current ceasefire proceeds to a full peace.
He also said Qatar could partner with Canada to fund humanitarian and development work, since Ottawa brings an expertise on effective projects in multiple regions across the world.
Human Rights Watch still raises numerous concerns about Qatar, citing slave labour resulting in migrant work deaths, restrictions on free expression and increasing surveillance.
The country chafed against widespread criticism of its treatment of migrant workers and its human rights record in the lead-up to its 2022 hosting of the FIFA World Cup.
During that event, Qatar’s officials barred the entry of articles of clothing with rainbows — including items with no LGBTQ+ themes.
UN Women says Qatar has no domestic violence legislation and abortion is illegal there — including for rape victims — unless the woman’s life is at risk. Women in Qatar require permission from a male guardian to travel abroad or work in certain jobs.
Juneau said Canada has no real influence over these matters and speaking out publicly would have a limited effect. Carney might still raise these issues behind closed doors, he said.
“It’s a brutal dictatorship, and that is not going to change,” Juneau said. “Human rights in Qatar are atrocious and nobody should realistically deny that.”
Juneau said it’s up to Canadians and their governments to decide whether they want to limit relations with the Gulf countries on human rights grounds, or deepen these ties to make up for the economic uncertainty caused by Trump’s global trade war.
“By making the decision not to be there, we are really wasting not only commercial but also diplomatic opportunities,” he said.
3)Carney says Qatar will make ‘significant’ investments in Canada’s major projects
Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press
By Kyle Duggan, Jan. 18, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Qatar has committed to “significant strategic investments” for Canada’s major building projects.
That capital will get projects built faster, “supercharge” energy industries and create jobs for Canadians, he said during a news conference in Doha.
Calling it a “new chapter” in bilateral relations, Carney said the two countries will also strengthen “people-to-people” cultural ties, which will include expanding direct flights from Canada to Qatar to boost tourism and business.
“When the people of different countries are familiar with each other’s cultures and perspectives, they’re enriched, and they trust each other more,” he said. “And they also want to do more together, to build together.”
Carney said after years of stalled negotiations, Canada aims to finalize the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement with Qatar by this summer. Canada will also install a defence attaché in Doha to deepen partnerships on defence.
Earlier Sunday, Carney received an official welcoming ceremony and met with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The prime minister has extended an invitation for the Emir to visit Canada later this year.
A readout from the Prime Minister’s Office says the leaders discussed growing Canada’s relations with Qatar and have agreed to stay in touch, with Carney inviting the sheikh to Canada in the coming year.
“Prime Minister Carney thanked His Highness for the warm welcome and hospitality,” the readout says.
Carney’s visit is an effort to boost trade and partnerships in artificial intelligence, infrastructure, energy and defence with the Gulf country.
It comes after he and several cabinet ministers met with top political and business leaders in Beijing, where they worked to forge stronger trade and bilateral ties with China.
It’s part of the Liberal government’s broader push to drum up new investment and expand trade ties beyond Canada’s traditional allies, such as the United States.
Outside the Amiri Diwan — the heart of the Qatari government — a group of men riding camels lined up on the grass. Armed men on horseback wearing bandoliers lined the path to greet the prime minister’s motorcade.
Inside, a cadre of Canadian cabinet ministers, including Mélanie Joly, Anita Anand and François-Philippe Champagne, lingered in an intricately designed waiting room.
During the welcome ceremony, a band played the anthems of both countries. Carney and the Emir exchanged pleasantries, shaking hands and posing for photos in front of Canadian and Qatari national flags.
They also shook hands with each other’s accompanying team of ministers.
Carney will wrap his nine-day trip abroad by attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
4)(Updated) Carney says Chinese EV deal an ‘opportunity’ for Ontario, auto sector
Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press
By David Baxter, January 18, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney said that the electric vehicle deal with China is an “opportunity” for Ontario and autoworkers, despite criticism of the deal from Premier Doug Ford and union representing Canadian autoworkers.
Speaking in Doha, Carney said there is interest in Chinese companies producing “affordable” electric vehicles in Canada.
“We’ve had direct conversations directly from the Chinese companies… with explicit interest and intention to partner with Canadian companies,” Carney said at a Sunday news conference.
“We’ll see what comes to pass. This is an opportunity for Ontario. It’s an opportunity for Ontario workers, opportunity for Canada, done in a controlled way with a modest start.”
The prime minister did not name any specific companies Canadian officials have had contact with.
Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement Friday that will see Canada allow Chinese electric vehicles into the country at a 6.1 per cent tariff rate.
The deal includes an annual import quota of up to 49,000 Chinese EVs, and 50 per cent must have an import price of under $35,000 by 2030.
Canada joined the U.S. in putting a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in 2024, with accusations of unfair subsidies and dumping vehicles in the North American market.
Ford said in a social media statement Friday that this deal runs the risk of flooding the market with cheap, Chinese EVs without guaranteed Canadian investment.
“Worse, by lowering tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles this lopsided deal risks closing the door on Canadian automakers to the American market, our largest export destination, which would hurt our economy and lead to job losses,” Ford said.
Lana Payne, Unifor president, said in a news release that this deal is a “self-inflicted wound” on an already hurting Canadian auto industry. She said that the U.K. and Brazil show that once China is allowed into an auto market they quickly seize market share.
Carney described this deal as a trial stage for market entry and that Canada wants to be competitive in the auto market of the future.
“We don’t want to competitive in the market of 2000, 2010. We want to compete in the future. That’s what’s going to get great jobs for Ontarians going forward,” Carney said Sunday.
The prime minister says that any Chinese auto production in Canada would have to meet this country’s labour standards.
In return for reducing auto tariffs, China plans to cut its tariff rate on canola seed from 84 per cent to 15 per cent March 1 and drop tariffs on canola meal, lobster, peas and crabs until at least the end of the year.
However, there was no mention of canola oil, which is subject to a 100 per cent tariff, and no change was made to the 25 per cent tariff on Canadian pork.
Canada’s auto sector has felt the sting of American tariffs, as U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S. doesn’t need cars made in Canada.
However, Trump commended Carney for getting a deal with China.
“That’s what he should be doing and it’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that,” Trump said Friday.
— With files from Kyle Duggan in Doha, Dylan Robertson in Ottawa, and The Associated Press.
5)Chinese ambassador casts doubt on PM’s claim that Beijing agreed to visa-free entry
Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press
By Dylan Robertson, Jan. 22, 2026.
China’s envoy in Ottawa is casting doubt on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s claim that Beijing is about to lift its visa requirement for Canadians, and he’s suggesting the move is still under consideration.
“I did notice that Prime Minister Carney made it public that the Chinese side told him that China is actively considering giving unilateral visa-free treatment to Canadian citizens,” Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di told The Canadian Press in an interview Wednesday.
“In terms of what specific visa policy that will be, we need to wait for the official announcement of the Chinese side,” Wang said through his interpreter.
At a Jan. 16 press conference in Beijing, Carney stated that President Xi Jinping “in our meeting today has committed to ensuring visa-free access for Canadians travelling to China.”
No statements from the Chinese government or its media affiliates appear to have confirmed this claim. Global Affairs Canada did not have an immediate comment on Wang’s remarks.
When asked when Beijing will change its visa policy and how long Canadians will be able to stay in China without a visa, Wang said he had no details.
He noted Beijing has extended to dozens of countries in recent years the right to 30 days in mainland China without a visa. That policy covers citizens of most of Europe and developed Asian counties.
Canadians already can enter the Chinese regions of Hong Kong, Macau and Hainan province without a visa. Entering mainland China requires a lengthy application process and roughly $140 in fees — except for individuals transiting between two countries other than Canada.
Except for those holding Hong Kong passports, Ottawa requires Chinese citizens to have a visa to visit Canada; for an individual this costs roughly $185.
Wang said China would like to see more people travelling between the two countries to build on the agreements Carney and Xi approved last week.
“If more facilitation is provided to people-to-people flows between our two countries, that will be good for the exchanges between our two peoples. Because China’s policy has always been supporting and encouraging people-to-people exchanges,” he said.
Beijing and Ottawa have taken steps to allow more travel between the two countries in recent years.
In August 2023, China lifted a pandemic ban on group tours to numerous countries but kept its tourists effectively barred from group visits to Canada. It lifted those restrictions last November.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa said at the time this measure was in response to a spike in anti-Asian discrimination and the federal government having “hyped up” the issue of foreign interference. China lowered its visa fee for Canadians in 2024.
Flights between both countries have increased very gradually since the COVID-19 pandemic. The delay in ramping up flights was caused in part by Canada’s demand that arriving flights not cross Russian territory — so that foreign airlines would not gain an advantage over Canadian airlines forbidden from Russian overflights due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a memorandum signed last week during Carney’s visit to Beijing, the two sides agreed to have their national tourism boards collaborate on promotional campaigns focused on nature in both countries, in sister cities and at events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.