By: Tomos Land, Staff Writer

In his special address at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Prime Minister Mark Carney garnered plaudits worldwide with a powerful speech on the future role of “middle powers” on the international stage. Middle powers are countries that try to influence geopolitical issues between great powers like the US and China, due to their geographic, economic, and diplomatic positions. Carney made a compelling argument for a re-calibration of international rules and norms. He argued that Canada should form issue-based coalitions with other nations who share similar values like diversifying trade, promoting gender equality, and supporting poverty reduction. This idea also holds lessons for individuals who want to stand up to the growing powers of archaic institutions and malignant corporations.

The central argument of Carney’s address focuses on the power of cooperation between nations who have found themselves subordinate to the US and China. This call to act collaboratively mirrors the founding principle of trade unions, namely the strength of collective action, which presents employees with an opportunity to bargain on a more equal footing with their employer. As economic inequality grows in Canada and the rights of workers across the globe continue to deteriorate,

Now more than ever is the time for the workers of the world to recognize the power of collective action. 

Advocacy also extends beyond the workplace. As students, we must do more to exercise our power to hold the executive teams of our institutions accountable and create a learning environment that empowers everyone to get the most out of their university experience. Taking part in groups that advocate for change on campus, participating in student societies or even running for election to the Board of Governors or Senate are all ways that we can work with other students to ensure that our voices are heard. In June 2025, four years after a group of SFU students threatened to go on hunger strike to force a divestment from fossil fuels, the university announced its investment portfolio no longer holds fossil fuel assets. SFU350, a student-led club focusing on climate action, campaigned tirelessly for eight years and were eventually successful in forcing the university to divest its assets. The club is an excellent example of how student activism can lead to meaningful change and continues its work campaigning against the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion on Lhuḵw’lhuḵw’áyten (Burnaby Mountain). Additionally, after penning an open letter with seven climate demands to the university in 2021, the Board of Governors met the first demand in April 2022 declaring a global climate emergency. This declaration empowered the university to take action to mitigate this emergency. They later laid out these actions in the SFU 2025 sustainability plan. 

Clearly, enacting meaningful change in our communities is possible, and it is made so much easier when we do so collectively. Trade unions, advocacy groups, and student organizations all benefit from the type of collaboration between individual “powers” (yes, that means you!) that the prime minister is calling for. Only together can we capitalize on the strategic autonomy that can help us prosper in an uncertain world.