What to know
- Former prime minister Jean Chrétien said the world is experiencing a major shift in global power, calling it the “beginning of the end of the American empire” during a fireside chat in Ottawa with Stephen Harper.
- Chrétien praised Canada’s education, tolerance and relative economic equality, suggesting tensions with the U.S. have increased national pride.
- Canadians are reacting online with mixed opinions, with many supporting his outlook while others argued he was overly optimistic or disagreed with his assessment.
Canadians are responding after former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said the ‘American empire’ is ending.
The former leader made the comments during a fireside chat with other former prime minister Stephen Harper on Monday in Ottawa, which was moderated by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS).
Speaking about threats to Canadian sovereignty, the 92-year-old said he believes the world is currently facing “a big shift.”
“I think we’re living a very important time in the world. It’s a big shift. It is probably what I would call the beginning of the end of the American empire. And it has to come, all the empires change,” he said during the chat.
Chrétien also shared hopeful predictions for Canada, praising the country for its education, values, and economic equality, and saying that issues with the U.S. have led Canadians to be proud of their identity.
“We are in a very good position because we have the land, we have the best-educated people in the world…We have the tolerance that is a great value. We have the sharing that doesn’t exist in many other countries, we have less very, very rich people per capita but less very, very poor people too in Canada,” he said.
“We have managed quite well to survive, you know. And at this moment, our friend from the south has created a mood that a Canadian has never been so proud to be Canadian.”
Chrétien is a retired politician, who served as Canada’s prime minister from 1993 to 2003.
The comments come after Carney gave a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in which he talked about a changing “rule-based order,” and said that Canada had previously participated in an “American hegemony,” which “no longer works.”
@nowtoronto Speaking at the #WorldEconomicForum2026 in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney reinforced his assessment of a "new world order," and said that #Canada is pivoting to new relationships and strategies amid economic instability. What did you think of his speech? #US ♬ original sound – Now Toronto
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People react online
Chrétien’s speech led to several reactions online, many of whom are praising the former leader for his hopeful comments.
“He is absolutely right. Love what he and Harper have done in the last few days. Unity is more important than even before,” one person said on X.
“Chrétien has been around for a long time, yet remains incredibly informed for his age,” another person said.
“I’ve been seeing it since Trump’s first term. We are witnessing the modern version of the fall of Rome,” a different user said.
“The beginning of the end of the American Empire was 30-40 years ago, we are now at the end of the American Empire,” another person added.
Meanwhile, some other people say Chrétien might have been “too optimistic” about Canada.
“Well he’s not wrong. Possibly a bit too optimistic about the situation but not wrong,” one X user said.
“The Canada he’s describing hasn’t existed for at least 10 years. I miss the Canada that he’s describing,” another person said.
