A Greek reference to the Canadian Parliament has been making the rounds on social media in recent hours in an attempt to draw parallels between Canada and the United States and the ancient Greek world, specifically Athens and Rome in the ancient world.

It all started when the new Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Francis Scarpaleggia, a Liberal MP from Quebec, referred to the United States as a modern-day Rome in terms of size and power. “We are Athens, in culture, values, and democracy.” He concluded by saying that “this is how we should see ourselves, this is how we should be.”

Mark Carney, speaking for the first time as prime minister in the House of Assembly, thanked voters and members of parliament and personally congratulated Scarpaleia. “I have much to learn from the members of this great Parliament. I will make mistakes. I do not doubt that you will point them out to me, and rightly so, because this Parliament has rules, it has traditions – and our Athenian democracy is founded on them,”
he noted.

Carney, echoing the symbolism he had used recently, made clear Canada’s differentiation from the expansionist proposals of the United States and Donald Trump. “Yes, we are Athens, they are Rome,” he said, also referring to Scarpalaya’s speech during his presidential bid. “We will win. We are in the Golden Age of Athens. Thank you, Mr. President, you have my support.”

Carney’s statements are linked to the broader political context of recent days, in which the Canadian prime minister has responded strongly to Trump’s proposals to “annex” Canada to the US as the 51st state in exchange for free membership of the Golden Dome missile defence dome. Carney had typically stated that “Canada is not and will never be for sale,” championing his country’s sovereignty and institutional values.