Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is undertaking a high-profile diplomatic visit to Australia this week to promote his “middle power” strategy, underscoring growing cooperation on trade, defence and critical technologies against the backdrop of shifting global power dynamics.

The trip, which forms part of a broader tour including India and Japan, follows Carney’s influential address at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, where he argued that the established rules-based world order has fractured and urged middle powers to act collectively to safeguard their interests.

During his time in Australia, Carney is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and will become only the second Canadian leader in history to address both houses of the Australian Parliament in Canberra in March.

Australian officials have framed the visit as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties, including cooperation on critical minerals, maritime security, advanced technologies and trade diversification.

Canberra and Ottawa are also exploring ways to deepen defence and maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, reinforcing shared commitments to regional stability amid great-power competition.

Carney’s message has resonated with the Albanese government, which has publicly supported the concept of enhanced middle power engagement and highlighted the importance of cooperation among like-minded countries to navigate volatility in global relations.

The visit reflects Canada’s broader strategy to reduce overreliance on a single dominant trading partner and to expand economic corridors with key Indo-Pacific nations.

As Carney delivers his parliamentary address and engages with Australian and regional leaders, his middle power agenda is set to take centre stage in discussions shaping the future of strategic alliances and economic partnerships in the Asia-Pacific.