The challenge with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s suggestion that Canada could become a European Union “associate member” is that nobody seems precisely sure what that means.
That confusion is already creating fertile ground for critics of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s push to diversify Canada’s trade and political partnerships away from the U.S. under President Donald Trump.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has already asserted — without evidence, since there’s no clear information from Carney or von der Leyen so far about the proposal — that such a partnership could include Canadians contributing tax dollars to the EU budget, accepting regulations drafted by bureaucrats in Brussels, or ceding control over immigration levels.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s ambassador to the EU and a former cabinet minister, did not appear fully comfortable with the term “associate member” Wednesday — telling reporters the important thing isn’t the name for the relationship, but the results deeper cooperation could bring.
“We are not looking to be a member of the European Union, because that is a sovereignty issue and people give up certain portions of their sovereignty (to be part of the bloc),” Wilkinson told reporters.
“At the end of the day, what we are looking to do is get as close as we possibly can in a manner that’s going to actually strengthen all of our respective countries without giving up significant chunks of sovereignty.”
In a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Wednesday, von der Leyen told Carney that she wants to work with him to “open the door” to Canada being the political and trading bloc’s first “associate member.”
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More concretely, von der Leyen said she wants to move from the Canada-European Trade Agreement (CETA) to what she calls an “Alliance for the Future to create a common prosperity and economic security space.”
“We will work on intelligent manufacturing. We will create a tech alliance. We will integrate defence industrial bases. We will make the Arctic a flagship joint project. We will work on energy, critical minerals and batteries. On AI, quantum (computing), cyber and economic security,” von der Leyen’s prepared remarks read.
“In short, we want to bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible.”
Those are all things Canada and Europe have been working on since at least June 2025, when Carney and von der Leyen began a process to “deepen ties.” They will all likely factor in to Carney’s address to European leaders on Thursday, and be topics for discussion when Canada-EU talks continue in Montreal next month.
There is currently no legal meaning for “associate membership” in the European Union, although the designation has been floated in the past — most recently, for Ukraine, which has for years been working toward full EU membership before Russia’s invasion.
In Ukraine’s case, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested the country be granted temporary associate status as it worked toward full ascension into the bloc. It would’ve given Ukraine a presence at EU summits and meetings, but no voting rights.
It would not have given the country access to the $27 trillion European Single Market, or to EU funds. Merz’s idea would grant Ukraine a measure of security guarantees that Canada already enjoys through membership in the North American Treaty Organization (NATO).
Officials with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) told reporters traveling with Carney that Canada was not seeking formal membership of any kind with the EU.
“We welcome President von der Leyen’s proposal that Canada and the European Union move beyond the CETA to an Alliance for the Future,” PMO said in a statement.
“This is a unique, positive approach that we will define together, building on our common strengths and based on our shared values.”
Polling released by Abacus Data this week suggested an overwhelming majority — 80 per cent — of Canadians support stronger economic, defence and political ties between Ottawa and Europe.
That support cuts across Canada’s regions and partisan differences. Opposition was strongest among Conservative voters, but 69 per cent of that cohort still backed deepening ties with Europe.
Of course, that support could change if Canada were asked to pay into Europe’s collective budget, or change domestic policies around issues like immigration to more closely align with the continent.
In a press conference Tuesday, Poilievre raised similar questions.
“What more is Mr. Carney proposing? Because what Conservatives do not support is forcing waitresses who are struggling to pay their rent or welders who are worried about losing their homes to pay higher taxes to a government in Europe, or to follow law made by European bureaucrats that don’t even know where the Lower Mainland of B.C. is,” Poilievre said.
“Or to have European immigration policies that will further overwhelm our housing, health care and job market. We want Canada to have free trade with Europe, cooperation with Europe, but we never surrender our independence and sovereignty over our laws, our tax money, and our immigration policies.”
WOW! The far-right misinformation machine is strong in this comment section. Or could it be just the same 2 guys using multiple accounts trying to make themselves seem relevant. The same 2 single guys with multiple accounts, over and over again, commenting in any comment section that mentions Liberals actually doing something because they are still butt-hurt that Pierre is failing in getting Canada to become the 51st state.
Canada already has a free trade agreement with the EU
CETA provisionally entered into force on September 21, 2017, removing about 98% of tariffs between Canada and the EU
All this theatre is just that
Theatre
Get ready for 1M African migrants, or pay if we refuse, like Hungary.
@ Goovy Aardvark says “but they’re all still too butthurt that Poilievre lost to ever give Carney credit for doing some really good things for Canada. ”
Carney has done nothing concrete for Canada and Conservatives are calling him out for it as they have over the last decade of this disastrous Liberal Government but Liberals can not provide a valid counterpoint to this fact so instead they hold up their ” Poilievre ” card.
If it happens without debate or knowledge of what benefits and drawbacks there are it will be treason for liberals once removed.
This is a smart move if it gives Canada better access to European markets, and encourages investment in Canada. It sure why all the whiners are complaining, unless they really just want Canada to be the 51st state. Seems to me that deepening ties with the second largest market in the world is a good thing, but they’re all still too butthurt that Poilievre lost to ever give Carney credit for doing some really good things for Canada. There is a reason that we aren’t hearing too many complaints from provincial conservative leaders these days; they know that Carney is doing a good job. But the Maple MAGAts and Poilievre fan boys (and Russian and American trolls) like to whine and spread silly lies about Brookfield too much to admit that.
well, you cannot just do it, adn we will not vote for it. move on old man, trade with China and be done with it alredy. they are the only answer. let the whiners cry and whine all they want. but know one thing, the people will never in a million years vote to join this, if you try to force it, well, i imagine the truckers convoy will look like peanuts when all the people take to the streets.
Is carn even news, who cares, get some close ups of his anus and show on globalz news so his lib swallowers can sit there drooling
How about Canada becoming an associate state of the US instead?
As always, everyone is jumping the gun here ..
Hopefully as things start to progress we will find out what this alignment is all about! And then we can jump up and down and get angry, etc .. (or not..)
Typical liberal politician:
>>> 100% promises
>>> 0% production
Typical liberal voter:
>>> 0% self awareness
>>> 0% common sense
>>> 100% confidence
Ursula has the hots for Carney.
No to EU same as no to 51st state!
Thank god I moved from Canada to the USA back in 2017. I will get out the popcorn and watch the Titanic finally sink. Lol
Libbys dumbest scumbags in canadian history
From what I read , nobody knows what Carney means by beeing associated member of the EU . I don’t think he knows either . Please Canada wake up . All Carney is doing is for his best interest not Canada . And with getting private investment for the 4 mayor airports I can guarantee you Brookshield is involved . He is an evil person .
Most EU citizens don’t like the draconian control of the EU. Do Elbows Up Liberals want to live in a police state?
Love how people blame PP. He is the opposition. Its his job to point out the negatives. His ideas do not matter, yet are stolen by carney. Carney is useless. Excited to see Canada’s downfall. Elbows up boomers
Just remember the “EU” consists mostly of fragile economies that are the decayed leftovers and most of these countries have dark history of Imperialism especially in Africa.
What could possibily go wrong?
EU a hollowed out shell full of muslambs, been erased a long time ago
Poilievre is getting ahead of himself as usual, digging up drama that isn’t there as per usual. All he has is trash talk all the time, negativity all the time. If Poilievre has better ideas, let’s hear them already.
Most EU members dont even support Ursula von der Leyen and have no cue what she is even talking about
It makes a great narrative for Carneys intellectually and emotionally immature base of supporters though