After Carney’s Davos speech, Conservatives weigh how Poilievre can show foreign-policy leadership
Mark Carney’s remarks at Davos have put foreign policy back on the Conservative agenda. Party strategists say Pierre Poilievre must pair household issues with credible international leadership.
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By Torontoer Staff
Mark Carney used the World Economic Forum in Davos to press middle powers to confront a changing global order. His speech prompted applause at home and renewed pressure on Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre to clarify how he would handle relations with the United States and other global partners.
Poilievre faces a leadership review next week that many inside the party expect him to pass. The broader challenge for Conservatives is less procedural and more strategic: show voters that the party can govern on day-to-day costs while offering credible leadership on defence, trade and international co-operation.
What Carney said in Davos
Carney framed the rules-based international order as diminished and urged middle powers to call out hegemonic behaviour. He did not name U.S. President Donald Trump directly, but his remarks landed in a context where Trump was on stage at the same forum and reiterating nationalist priorities.
The prime minister argued for a coordinated response among like-minded countries, a line that drew notice at home because it highlights gaps in Canada’s military capacity, trade diversification and resource project approvals.
How Conservatives have responded
Poilievre’s office circulated a critic’s post from Calgary MP Michelle Rempel Garner that called on the prime minister to match rhetoric with clear timelines and concrete action. Rempel Garner argued for accelerated resource approvals, stronger military investment and new trade negotiations.
The most patriotic Canadian action His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition can take right now is to hold Prime Minister (Mark) Carney to account for delivering real results, while advancing our own clear, concrete measures to lift Canada out of a decade of depending dependency.
Michelle Rempel Garner
Before the speech, Poilievre’s office labelled Carney’s trip an "unneeded indulgence." Sam Lilly, a spokesman in Poilievre’s office, wrote that the trip "will not resolve a single tariff or solve the steadily rising cost of food at home." The leader’s official channels did not respond to interview requests after the speech.
The Liberal party countered by reminding voters of Poilievre’s past attacks on Davos, posting footage of him calling the forum a gathering of out-of-touch elites. His past promise to ban ministers from attending the event has drawn renewed scrutiny.
Advice from former staff and strategists
Former Poilievre communications director Ben Woodfinden says Conservatives must accept the probability that President Trump could still be in office at the next federal election, and plan accordingly. That means keeping the party’s core economic message while demonstrating seriousness on foreign policy.
I think confronting that reality that (Trump’s) not just going to go away, it's unpleasant, and it's less than ideal, but I think it is reality.
Ben Woodfinden
Ginny Roth, another former communications director, urged updating the Conservative approach from the Stephen Harper era to fit today’s circumstances. She sees an opening to criticise symbolic international gestures and pivot to tangible measures such as military readiness and clear timelines for resource projects.
Jamie Ellerton, a former Harper staffer, said the party should not reflexively oppose Carney’s observations. He called Carney’s Davos remarks "staunchly pro-Canadian" and suggested Conservatives could adopt similar language while setting out alternative policies.
Where Conservatives could focus
- Keep affordability, housing and immigration at the centre of the campaign, while showing how those priorities connect to international policy
- Set out a clear plan and timelines for resource approvals to spur exports and jobs
- Commit to measurable improvements in military personnel and equipment as a NATO contribution
- Outline trade diversification goals and concrete steps to reach new markets
- Offer a coherent narrative about Canada’s role as a middle power that protects national interests without abandoning economic concerns
Conservative strategists say these moves are meant to reassure older voters and others focused on cost-of-living pressures, who also expect to see a leader who can perform on the world stage.
Political implications and next steps
Poilievre’s leadership review next week will test internal confidence. Externally, the party must balance criticism of the government with willingness to support measures that strengthen Canada’s international position. Provincial leaders such as Alberta’s Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe have shown a more collaborative tone with the prime minister, a model some Conservatives now point to.
For now, the party’s public posture remains familiar: emphasise domestic concerns and challenge the Liberals to produce results. The strategic question is whether Poilievre can pair that message with a credible foreign-policy platform that voters can imagine on election day.
Poilievre’s office did not answer follow-up questions. The coming weeks will show whether the Conservatives turn Carney’s Davos speech into a policy roadmap, an attack line, or both.
Pierre PoilievreMark CarneyDavosConservative Partyforeign policy
