Anand at the UN: Why Canada Wants to Rely Less on the U.S.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday that Canada can no longer afford to rely too much on any one partner. The Globe and Mail
She delivered Canada's national statement to close High-Level Week of the 81st session on September 26. Global Affairs Canada High-Level Week is the annual period when leaders and ministers meet in New York. The speech set diversification as firm policy, not just a preference.
Anand said Canada is diversifying its ties and building stronger links with new and old partners alike. She called the approach values-based realism — keeping to principles while dealing with the world as it is — paired with less economic reliance on the United States. The Globe and Mail
Speaking in French, she said Canadian exports to markets outside North America have increased significantly. The government aims to double its non-U.S. trade within a decade. ABC News
Her criticism of the trading order was direct. Anand said great powers are walking away from global economic co-operation and dismantling economic integration. She added: "Great powers want the rest of us to accept what we are offered".
She did not name the United States when criticizing great-power behaviour. The criticism stayed general, while the separate point about reducing reliance on the U.S. stood on its own.
Anand also welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio convening the Arctic Seven earlier that week. She welcomed co-operation with Washington on Arctic management while arguing for wider options elsewhere.
In an interview during General Assembly week, Anand said Canada sees its "middle power strategy" bearing fruit. AP News A middle power is a country that carries influence through alliances and rules rather than sheer size. She spoke at the General Debate of the 81st session for Canada, as listed in the official archive. UN General Assembly
The speech capped a week of parallel Canadian activity in New York. Anand reiterated Canada's commitment to supporting Haiti's security, stability and recovery. Global Affairs Canada Secretary of State Sarai participated in the 81st General Assembly and announced international assistance funding. Global Affairs Canada
Beyond New York, Anand announced the adoption of the 2026 to 2030 Plan of Action to implement the ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership. ASEAN is the Southeast Asian regional group. Canada, Ukraine and Norway will host a conference in Toronto on September 28-29, 2026. Earlier, Anand addressed the resumed High-Level Conference on the Two-State Solution, noting that member states' presence reflected strong international support.
The broader context here is how Ottawa wants this push to be read at home. For ministers and officials, trade diversification is federal-provincial work. It touches provincial export interests, regulatory co-operation and procurement. It also touches supply chains that cross the border daily. Anand's language gives departments and missions a clear direction. Build depth elsewhere without breaking day-to-day function with Washington.
In my view, the careful calibration matters more than any single line. The speech criticizes concentrated economic power without naming a capital. It pairs reduced reliance on the United States with open co-operation on the Arctic. And it ties values language to practical goals, from ASEAN to Haiti to Ukraine. Officials will now watch whether words turn into negotiating mandates, mission resources and follow-through after the Toronto meeting.
