Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a rallying cry in Australia's parliament to "middle powers" on Thursday, urging them to work together in an increasingly hegemonic world order.

Nations like Australia and Canada faced a stark choice – work together to help write the "new rules" of the global order or have great powers do it for them, he said.

"In this brave new world, middle powers cannot simply build higher walls and retreat behind them. We must work together," Carney said.

"Great powers can compel, but compulsion comes with costs, both reputational and financial.

"Middle powers like Australia and Canada hold this rare convening power because others know we mean what we say and we will match our values with our actions."

The Canadian leader and former central banker also said the two countries would together as "strategic collaborators" to pool their vast combined rare earth mineral resources.

"We know we must work with others who share our values to build solid capabilities," he told parliament.

Otherwise, he warned, they risked being "caught between the hyperscalers and the hegemons".

The Canadian leader has frequently clashed with US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to annex Canada and slapped swingeing tariffs on the country.

Carney said that he couldn't rule out his country's military participation in the escalating war in the Middle East.

Speaking alongside local counterpart Anthony Albanese in Canberra, Carney was asked whether there was a situation in which Canada would get involved.

"One can never categorically rule out participation," he said, while stressing the question was a "hypothetical" one.

"We will stand by our allies," said Carney, adding that "we will always defend Canadians."

Carney had said the US-Israeli strikes on Iran were "inconsistent with international law". (AFP)



Edited by Thomas McAlinden