European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that she wants the relationship between the bloc and Canada to reach “the highest level possible.”
The European Union has proposed making Canada the first “associate member” in an effort to strengthen allies in “an openly hostile world.” Both the EU and Canada have had issues with the US over the Trump administration's trade deals.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the proposal Wednesday during her annual State of the Union Address in Strasbourg, France. Von der Leyen said that she wants the relationship between the bloc and Canada to reach “the highest level possible.”
“And, dear Mark, I said we must urgently reimagine our partnerships so I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to being the first associate member of the European Union,” von der Leyen said, referring to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was in attendance for the speech.
Von der Leyen told the assembly that the EU and Canada "see the world with the same eyes: from AI to climate change, from the Arctic to geopolitics. And we have stood together: on Ukraine, on defence, on raw materials and on supply chains. But above all ... Europe and Canada believe in democracy.”
The proposal had drawn criticism within Canada. Comedian Ben Bankas critizied the idea on X, writing, “Why be 51st State when you can be the dumping grounds for European Migrant overflow.”
Carney, who is scheduled to address EU lawmakers on Thursday, welcomed the proposal for a stronger alliance. He previously had said that Canada wanted to pursue a “unique security and economic alliance” with Europe.
The proposed associated member status would be a new arrangement, as there is no formal “associate member” category in the EU treaties. Earlier this year, German chancellor Fredirch Merz suggested a similar measure for Ukraine.
The Canada proposal comes as the country continues to engage in a back-and-forth with the US over President Donald Trump’s trade policies. The EU and Canada currently have a free trade agreement that eliminated 99 percent of all tariff lines. Canada has also faced continued frustration with the US, as Trump has joked about the country becoming the 51st state.
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