Prime Minister Mark Carney has instructed Canadian diplomats to prioritize commercial interests in their work abroad, signaling a significant shift in the country’s foreign policy approach. Speaking at a closed-door meeting in Ottawa in May, Carney urged ambassadors and high commissioners to act boldly and swiftly, emphasizing that the current government tolerates a higher level of risk than its predecessors. This new directive places trade and investment promotion ahead of traditional diplomatic concerns such as defense and security.

The pivot toward commerce comes amid growing global geopolitical uncertainty and ongoing economic tensions, particularly between the United States and China. In January, Carney outlined this changing landscape at the World Economic Forum in Davos, warning that dominant powers are leveraging economic integration as a strategic weapon. He advocated for “middle powers” like Canada to seek greater autonomy through expanded economic networks, cautioning that not participating actively could leave countries vulnerable.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand reiterated this message during the May retreat, urging Canadian envoys to operationalize the middle-power strategy by strengthening commercial ties in their respective jurisdictions. In an interview, Anand explained that diplomats are now expected to address and support Canadian commercial interests as a primary objective. She cited her efforts in Pakistan, where she requested government assistance for JCM Power, a Canadian clean-energy company, and her discussions with Mexican officials to facilitate permits for Canadian mining firms.

While Canadian diplomats have long been involved in commercial matters, this marks a departure from past priorities that often centered on peacekeeping, multilateralism, and human security. Historically, Canada’s foreign policy has been recognized for its engagement in global governance and principled international stances, including opposition to apartheid under Brian Mulroney and advocacy for human security under Lloyd Axworthy in the 1990s. Previous governments have also faced internal tensions over trade-focused agendas, including criticism during Stephen Harper’s tenure and mixed outcomes under Justin Trudeau’s feminist foreign policy.

Anand acknowledged that the foreign service is still adapting to this new mission. “They acknowledge that this mission is 180 degrees different from what they have historically been doing, but they also are rising to the challenge,” she said, attributing the change to the urgent need created by the current “rupture” in global economic and geopolitical systems. She noted that other countries share similar concerns about securing critical supply chains and resources, even if they do not articulate the rationale identically.

Despite the commercial emphasis, security issues, especially Arctic sovereignty, remain a priority, ranked second after economic engagements. According to political analyst Fen Hampson, Canada’s diplomacy under Carney is increasingly transactional rather than focused on reinvigorating multilateral institutions like the United Nations or World Trade Organization. Carney has pursued cooperative efforts with European leaders on matters such as Ukraine and the Middle East, while promoting closer ties between the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the European Union. He has stressed that the goal is to build diverse and flexible networks rather than formal alliances.

Carney’s approach has attracted some criticism for deprioritizing human rights and other value-based foreign policy considerations. During a July visit to Saudi Arabia, when questioned on human rights, he dismissed distant “lecturing” as ineffective, highlighting a focus on market relations over moral issues. Lloyd Axworthy, a veteran Liberal diplomat, cautioned that economic engagement should not come at the expense of broader responsibilities, specifically criticizing the government’s silence on human rights and proliferation concerns tied to recent U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreements.

Hampson expressed skepticism about the likelihood of diplomats adopting a greater appetite for risk under the current structure, citing Carney’s management style and ongoing constraints on foreign affairs budgets. Nonetheless, the mandate for Canadian diplomats has clearly evolved, reflecting a new era in which commercial interests dominate Canada’s international engagements.