Carney welcomes a proposal for Canada to become EU associate member
By: Rob Gilles - AP News
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Carney welcomes a proposal for Canada to become EU associate member
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has embraced the prospect of his country becoming the European Union's first associate member.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney departs Strasbourg, France, en route to Liverpool, England, where he will meet with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, France, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)
STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday embraced the prospect of his country becoming the European Union's first associate member, saying closer ties with the continent would ensure no country could control Canada's markets or undermine its sovereignty.
Carney's speech to the European Parliament repeatedly extolled cooperation between Europe and Canada — but the relationship with the U.S., which has defined Canada's economy for decades and has increasingly soured, hung over the address.
Trump's tariffs, demands for economic concessions and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st state have pushed Ottawa to reduce its dependence on its neighbor and seek a far deeper economic, security and political relationship with Europe.
Carney told the parliament that he welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal, unveiled Wednesday, though he acknowledged that "associate membership" remains to be defined.
He outlined what he was proposing: deeper integration across trade, defense, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, space, research and financial services to make both sides less vulnerable to economic and geopolitical pressure. He later told reporters he was not pursuing full membership of the EU.
"We do not seek power to dominate others," he said. "On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so that no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law."
The prime minister received an ebullient welcome when he walked into the chamber in Strasbourg, France, with many lawmakers approaching him to shake his hand and ask for selfies — and giving a standing ovation after he spoke. One parliamentarian had donned a Canadian hockey jersey.
Europe offers Canada another path
On Wednesday, von der Leyen proposed making Canada the EU's first associate member — a status that does not currently exist in the bloc's treaties and would have to be created. She said Europe wants to take its relationship with Canada to "the highest level possible."
Carney, sitting in the front row of the European Parliament chamber, nodded and rose to embrace von der Leyen as lawmakers gave the proposal a standing ovation.
Von der Leyen said Canada and the EU should move beyond their existing free trade agreement and create an "Alliance for the Future" encompassing a "common prosperity and economic security space."
Carney will host EU leaders for a Canada-EU summit in Montreal on Oct. 29-30, when the two sides are expected to discuss the proposed new relationship in more detail.
Canada sends roughly 70% of its exports to the United States, making it highly exposed to Trump's tariffs. Ottawa has retaliated and rejected demands Carney says threaten Canadian sovereignty.
Europe took a different path, shelving retaliation and accepting tariffs of up to 15% on most EU exports to the U.S.
Trump pushed back on the proposal
Trump suggested the proposed arrangement could be a "hostile act" and threatened heavy tariffs on Europe if he judged its intentions to be unfriendly — raising the stakes for the speech.
Asked about Trump's comments, Carney said Canadians were united in rejecting outside attempts to dictate the country's choices.
"Canadians are united that nobody is going to tell us what language we speak. No one is going to dictate our culture or with whom we can strike agreements internationally," Carney said.
Carney has rallied 'middle powers'
Carney has repeatedly urged what he calls middle powers to resist economic coercion. At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, he warned that when countries negotiate alone with a dominant power, "we negotiate from weakness. We accept what is offered."
Trump rebuked him the next day.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's ambassador-designate to the EU, said Ottawa wants "to get as close as we possibly can" to Europe while increasing Canada's independence.
While associate membership remains to be negotiated, Canada has already taken a major step. This year it became the first non-European country to join the EU's 150-billion-euro ($173-billion) SAFE defense procurement program, giving Canadian companies access to joint procurement as Europe increases defense spending.
The two sides have also discussed closer cooperation on energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and digital trade.
"The policies and rhetoric of the Trump administration are clearly pushing both Canada and the EU to imagine a world without strong U.S. leadership and to act accordingly," said Daniel Beland, a political-science professor at McGill University in Montreal.
Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, said Carney's handling of Trump has heightened European interest in the Canadian leader.
Europeans have long regarded Canada as a country that understands the United States particularly well because of their deep economic and political ties. Carney's willingness to resist Trump rather than quickly accept Washington's demands has reinforced that perception, he said.
"Carney's shrewdness in dealing with Trump has captured Europe's attention," Wiseman said.
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Associated Press writer Lorne Cook contributed from Brussels.
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So, what really stupid thing is Trump going to do next? Invade Canada?
Joining the eu will harm Canada more than anything trump could ever do. Doubling down on stagnation! That’ll show trump!
I get Canadians don’t seem real concerned with democracy or individual rights but just turning your country over to an anti-democratic bureaucracy in Brussels that will strip you of your rights to govern yourselves to “show trump” is such an own goal.
Your comments indicate a problem about the fact the Carney is busy making friends while ignoring that Trump is busy making enemies, and your comments do excel in providing the most negative opinion about this Canada/EU issue. Personally, I said from the beginning that Canada should diversify its sources snd markets. How do you feel about the fact that Trump has screwed up the trade negotiations with Canada by demanding that it alter its language laws to his liking and demanding that Canada obey Amarica's requirements as to whom Canada can make agreements with?
PM Carney is far smarter than everyone combined on this site and unlike Trump he will not sellout Canada for personal enrichment and aggrandizement.
If we did not care about democracy and individual rights we would vote at lower percentages than americans.
And it's unlikely that Carney will demand that his name be put on structures and institutions.
Really? What did he do with his "Canadian" company? His kids are American, his stock portfolio (91%)is American and I'll bet his assets will all be protected from Canadian inheritance laws when he dies. He's spent his whole life maximizing his wealth by avoiding Canada.
t care about democracy and individual rights we would vote at lower percentages than americans
And the Germans in 1934 turned out at much higher rates than Canadians did last election. They must have really loved democracy and individual rights, huh?
That can be done without becoming a vassal state.
w do you feel about the fact that Trump has screwed up the trade negotiations with Canada by demanding that it alter its language laws to his liking and demanding that Canada obey Amarica's requirements as to whom Canada can make agreements with
I think Trump is silly to waste time on that stuff. But its impact on American life is pretty much non-existent.
Two of his 4 daughters attend university in america, none are american.
Ah 1934 Germany, the year of voter fraud and intimidation.