Canada’s Carney stops short of endorsing von der Leyen’s associate member plan
Canadian prime minister says he welcomes "ambition" of European Commission president's plan in speech in EU Parliament.
Strasbourg — In an address to the European Parliament, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney outlined what Ottawa would seek from closer ties with the EU, but refrained from giving full support to Ursula von der Leyen's proposal of an "associate member" plan. Carney acknowledged the offer but listed specific areas of potential cooperation, such as critical minerals, defense, AI, energy security, space, seamless digital trade in non-agricultural goods and services, and participation in Erasmus+, the EU's student exchange program.
He expressed support for the idea, acknowledging polling that shows a majority of Canadians favor closer ties. The "associate member" concept caused confusion as it had not been discussed with European capitals beforehand and does not presently exist. U.S. President Donald Trump later threatened "serious tariffs" if Canada became closer to the EU.
Carney stated that Canadians would have a say through debates and a vote in the Canadian parliament, but for now, it is the beginning of the process.
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