Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney generated considerable international praise for his 20 January speech at Davos. He called for intermediate powers such as Canada to work together to build a new world order based on values like respect for human rights, sustainable development, solidarity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

His speech was given against the backdrop of a rupture in the rules-based order that Canada has long supported. This was caused by the United States appearing to abandon the order it helped build, by threatening to annex territory from western allies, including Canada itself.

Carney warned about the need for middle powers to work together for mutual protection in a global system where there are seemingly no constraints on the actions of great powers. He suggested they should build something bigger, better, stronger and more just together.

Why, then, did his government immediately support the illegal US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran just a month later?