Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday, September 17, welcomed a proposal for Canada to become the European Union's first associate member, but said he did not mean for a closer alliance to create a new bloc that would rival the world's great powers. Canada and Europe are "stronger together," he told the European Parliament.
The remarks came after United States President Donald Trump suggested the proposed arrangement could be a "hostile act" and threatened heavy tariffs on Europe if he judged its intentions to be unfriendly. Trump also called the idea "laughable."
"We welcome this ambition," Carney said of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal, unveiled Wednesday. Carney said plainly what he was proposing: deeper Canada-Europe 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. "I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival, only with better manners," he said. "We do not seek power to dominate others."
Carney said the goal instead is to build Canada's resilience so that no country can control its markets, undermine its sovereignty or dictate its choices. For generations, Canada built its economy around integration with the US. Trump's tariffs, demands for economic concessions and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st state are now driving Ottawa to reduce that dependence and seek a deeper economic, security and political relationship across the Atlantic.
Europe offers Canada another path
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 Montréal on October 29 and 30, where the two sides are expected to discuss the proposed new relationship in more detail.
Canada sends roughly 70% of its exports to the US, 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 US.
Carney rallies 'middle powers'
Carney has repeatedly urged middle powers to resist that kind of 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 Wednesday that Canada is not seeking full EU membership because that would require surrendering some sovereignty. Instead, Ottawa wants "to get as close as we possibly can" to Europe while increasing Canada's independence.
Exactly what associate membership would mean remains to be negotiated. Canada has already taken a major step toward European integration. This year it became the first non-European country to join the EU's €150-billion ($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.