Opposing American lawlessness is a patriotic act with less downside than the government realises. Just ask voters.

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In a fine speech made to the UN on Friday, Anthony Albanese has started down this road but has a long way to go yet before achieving the cut-through of his Canadian confrere.

"Eight decades ago, the citizens and leaders of our nations made a solemn promise to future generations," Albanese told the body, in a bid to rekindle its golden mission.

"Having known the 'untold sorrow' of two devastating global conflicts in their lifetimes, they vowed to work together to prevent another."

Compare that to Mark Carney in August.

"Last spring, I warned that America is trying to break us so that they can own us," he told a stunned press conference.

He was responding to punishing US tariffs and months of Donald Trump belittling Canada as America's 51st state.

Asked why the Canadian PM was suddenly sounding like a wartime leader, Carney could have reeled it in. Instead, he went harder: "We were attacked. You're at war when you get attacked. We got attacked."

Two days ago he revealed that a US military annexation has been war-gamed.

"I think you have a responsibility in these roles to look at extreme tail risk," the former central banker told The New York Times, venturing that while a 'hot' war remained unlikely, preparatory defences had taken.

Carney's clarity invites us to reassess longstanding assumptions about alliances, values, sovereign resolve and political communication.

First, he shows respect for his own people. Carney's frankness proceeds from the recognition that Canadian voters are not children. Rather than gaslighting them about the costs in national and economic security terms of standing up to America, he sides with Canadian national integrity.

Second, notwithstanding the political Pentecostalism of the AUKUS-caucus, Canada's........

© Canberra Times