The Canada-EU Summit being held this week in Montreal will serve to launch more formal negotiations on a deeper partnership over the next year, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday,
Carney will meet with European Union President Ursula von der Leyen and other EU officials on Thursday and Friday in Montreal, where they are expected to announce the next stage of an enhanced alliance.
“This is the launch of further formal discussions, negotiations, over the course of the next year,” Carney said on his way into the weekly cabinet meeting.
The exact nature of the pact between Canada and the EU has been unclear — even to the leaders themselves.
In September, von der Leyen said the new arrangement could make Canada an “associate” member of the 27-member bloc. But “associate membership” does not actually exist in the EU and Canadian officials have downplayed the use of that term.
“It doesn’t matter about specific names or nomenclature. What matters is the difference that it will make to lives of Canadians, young Canadians, in terms of opportunities to study work and travel, our Canadian businesses in terms of new opportunities,” Carney said Tuesday, adding it could open up new research opportunities as well.
Carney used the term “alliance of the future” to describe the deal, which was first made public when he spoke to the EU Parliament in Strasbourg, France, last month.
Jonathan Wilkinson, who took on the Canadian ambassadorship in Brussels earlier this year after spending more than five years in the Liberal cabinet, told The Canadian Press the labour policy discussions with Europe are focused on “specialized areas” where employers on both sides of the Atlantic could benefit from access to a shared labour pool.
He said any measures that would make it easier for workers and students to move between the two jurisdictions must be approached in a “thoughtful way.”
“We’re not talking about free movement of labour between Europe and Canada. But what we are talking about is, in some specialized areas, it may be actually interesting and useful for both countries to have the ability to tap into labour pools,” Wilkinson said.
The ambassador did not cite specific sectors where labour mobility between Canada and the EU could be eased. The EU and Canada have been discussing increased collaboration on critical minerals, technology, defence and clean energy.
Wilkinson pointed to work already done by Canada and Europe on mutual accreditation for architects and said any future decisions about labour mobility would be focused on areas of “mutual benefit.”
Get daily National news
Canada has also discussed joining Erasmus+, the European Union’s student exchange program, which offers study and training opportunities in member nations.
Michelle Rempel Garner, the Conservative immigration critic, has called on the government to explain what these negotiations mean for people coming to Canada.
“Canadians are already struggling with the cost of living due to immigration levels which are too high and have contributed to jobs becoming more scarce and workers getting paid less. Canadians deserve transparency on any EU immigration deal and how it would impact our jobs, homes, and health care,” she said in a statement.
The summit appears to be a source of friction between Carney and the new Parti Québécois government in Quebec.
A spokesperson for Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon St-Pierre Plamondon said in a written statement that Ottawa denied the premier the chance to speak at the summit and refused to allow Quebec to host a reception on the sidelines, following a request submitted by the former government in mid-September.
Following the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Carney said in French that St-Pierre Plamondon declined an invitation to join him and the other premiers for a dinner with European officials during the summit. Carney said the federal government has had three consultation sessions with Quebec about the talks with the EU.
Joel Lightbound, Carney’s Quebec lieutenant, said Tuesday that St-Pierre Plamondon is welcome to attend the summit and the dinner but this is still a meeting between Canada and the EU.
- ‘Local Governance 101’ Okanagan community’s first-ever council trains ahead of inaugural meeting
- Family of soldier badly burned at CFB Wainwright speaks about his injuries
- As B.C. scraps time change, experts have a warning about the risks
- B.C. soldier burned in CFB Wainwright fire remains in Edmonton ICU
This week’s summit will take place on the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Canada-Europe Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA.
Nine EU members — France, Italy, Belgium, Ireland, Poland, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece and Hungary — have not yet ratified that trade deal.
Wilkinson said he’s spoken with all 27 of his EU member nation counterparts and there is momentum in Europe to get more countries behind CETA. He did not name specific nations.
One of the EU’s leading nations may have a new government soon. Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, is the current polling favourite to succeed Emmanuel Macron as president this spring.
Le Pen delivered a nearly hour-long speech to supporters Sunday that focused on her party’s nationalist, anti-immigrant positions.
Wilkinson said politics is always dynamic and Europeans and Canadians will go on sharing values regardless of which party is in power in a particular nation.
“I think in France, it’s a very important debate that they are having. And I think that if in fact the government were to change, people will have to take stock of that,” he said.
“But I do think that the European Union is a much bigger project than any one government in any one country. And I have a lot of confidence that Europeans will find their way through this and be just fine.”
Wilkinson said energy and critical minerals — including natural gas, hydrogen and nuclear power — will play a crucial role in the enhanced partnership between Canada and the EU.
“We’re looking at … how can we, for example, encourage significant additional European investment in Canadian minerals projects. We’re talking about how can we think about things like stockpiling together so that we actually can help to stabilize the market,” Wilkinson said.
The European Investment Bank applied for an exemption from Canadian foreign banking rules earlier this month that would allow the state investor to operate in Canada as part of a critical minerals agreement.
Wilkinson said Canada and the European Union are both looking for ways to build up the infrastructure to refine and ship critical minerals and reduce China’s market dominance.
“That’s not a dependency that’s good for Canada. That’s not a dependency good for the European Union. So we are looking at that,” he said.
@Rich.
Carney’s approval may be high right now but guaranteed by this time next year he will be in the gutter.
He hasn’t accomplished anything concrete, and failed on his election promise to control grocery prices.
The only reason he is up is because of Trump, but that won’t go on forever and once the real effects of this trade war with the U.S begin to hit the majority of Canadians, Carney will be loathed like the Boy Blunder Trudeau.
I think Carney just lost the Quebec vote. Telling the Quebec premier he can serve shrimp to the guests but he isn’t allowed to speak to them was an epic snub. Perhaps Carney should have done the usual and paid a subsidiary of Brookfield millions of taxpayer dollars to serve the shrimp.
F*CK YOU. Is that all you’ve got. Have you seen the polls recently. Carney’s support is so high that it has to include Liberals, New Democrats, and Conservatives. If an election were held today, the Cons would be wiped out. While that’d be a great thing for the country, Carney is too laser focused on improving Canada for petty politics. Too bad the Cons aren’t interested in improving the country, but that’d be a bridge too far for you guys.
F*CK YOU CARNEY! F*CK YOU EU AND F*CK BEN AND RICH!!
Canadian taxpayers will have to give EU university students free tuition.
Look into it if you don’t believe me
Ben. Good to see you’re fighting the good fight against the misinformed, disinformation spreading, self-satisfied Cons among us. Your push back on their ridiculous views on the EU are entirely valid, but falling on deaf ears. Keep in mind that you can explain the importance of EU ties to them, but you can’t understand it for them.
The basic problem is that the Cons lost the last election when they expected to win and they haven’t gotten over that. They also haven’t accepted the fact that the only be relevant again if they ditch Poilievre, abandon their infatuation with Maga politics, and try to shift the party towards the middle. Since that’s not in the cards, they’ll, probably try to replace Poilievre with someone who’s even more Conservative so that they can stay in the wilderness shouting into the void as they fall to third party status.
F*CK YOU CARNEY! This is all show boating. Carney i a fraud and the EU is one big, fascist pigsty! Hello EU!? can you hear us!? Can you hear Canadians? You know, the ones who liberated your asses from the Hun who was over running your stark little countries!? WE DONT WANT TO BE A PART OF YOUR HELL!!
France, Germany Italy and other important members of the EU have come out strongly in favour of closer ties with Canada. The vast majority of Canadians support this. 57% of Canadians choose him as preferred PM. The conservatives are down to 28% in the polls compared to 47% for the Liberals. We can therefore see why Poilievre conservatives are trying desperately to spread misinformation in the comments.
Already France, Germany, Italy and others have said no to Canada joining the EU.
EU partnership will not make Canada prosperous. EU is in a massive decline. Carney needs to keep his promises and get a deal done with our closest neighbour and one of the largest markets in the world.
@Jack Trump. Respectfully, objections are centred on the wording “associate membership,” but they are all extremely supportive of closer ties. In this case nomenclature doesn’t matter, closer ties and more trade does.
Germany, Italy, and France have denounced Canada as an “associate “ member of the EU. This is mainly a publicity stunt by Carney and Ursula VDL.
@Alberta51. Respectfully, I’m sorry you are still licking your wounds from your devestating loss. You americans tried to interfere in the referndum and as usual lost-like you did in Iran. Maybe focus on your own gerrymandered democracy which is rated quite low on world democracy indices. And how dare you say we have no culture? Adieu (NOT au revoir) to you and the USA-if you get my drift.
Canadians are glad that Carney is flying all over the world and increasing our non-US trade. His approval rating is 56%. Canadians support closer ties to the EU. It is by increasing ties with other countries that we increase trade and economic growth.
Canada is a ridiculous, failed country ruled by a corrupt mob of crony capitalist oligopolies. No national culture, no national cohesion, rock-bottom birthrate. A former country that has forgotten its past, buried its heritage, and completely destroyed its future.
Independence for Quebec and statehood for all the rest!
Wouldn’t be nice to have a Prime Minister that stayed home and worked for the people that voted him in as a minority government and worked for the on lowering the cost of living for all Canadians. All we have now is a globe trotting failure using Canadian taxpayers for free holidays so he can spew out useless speech’s that do nothing to help Canadians.
Now the interest rates are going to raise due to the failures of the government to actually work on Canadians cost of living.
How many more years are Canadians going to keep their heads in the sand and watch this mess we have today.
@Jimbo Jones 406pm. Respectfully, there is no secret agreement. Sorry we can’t engage further as you seem to be living in a different reality than I.
And I apologize, but I will eat the phony psychology experts right in front of the judge because they are frauds just like you.
And no, I don’t care what a pretendian professor of law thinks as they are criminals.
You pushed. I will push back.
And, I am afraid terms of use do not absolve financial frauds.
Millions of immigrants and their barnyard animal wives will flood into cunada
Relentless animosity is your new friend twiggy.
Maybe, your HR personnel at a bank that thinks violating the human rights code is a fun game.
It won’t be for much longer.
Drop DEI or let it be your end.
I don’t care. No one dictates anything to me and no one tells me what I can and cannot say or do.
I follow the laws I deem moral.
Treason. And no, I don’t care if 80 year olds and purple haired string beans dissent
no immigration
There will be no “associate” status for Canada. Already vetoed by Germany,-France; and others. Another nothing burger by Carney.
Can’t pick up enough directly? Are you going to pick up some more garbage from Europe? If one really wants to immigrate, it is estimated that France’s present will be Canada’s future.
We need to have a vote on this undisclosed agreement.
“But “associate membership” does not actually exist in the EU and Canadian officials have downplayed the use of that term.”
If Canada were a democracy, we’d have a say in this.
“Canada has also discussed joining Erasmus+, the European Union’s student exchange program, which offers study and training opportunities in member nations.”
Like we don’t have enough foreign students here already, they will ship the riots over here soon too?
It starts, prepare for the worst…
100% Jimbo
You would think that if a guy running for PM had written a book/road map about surrendering Canada’s sovereignty and wealth to “make a better carbon free world for ALL, way back in 2021, the media would have gone through it with a fine tooth comb and reported about it.
But they covered it up and spewed a TDS hysteria smokescreen to drag that guy into the PM’s office instead.
So here we are, about to lose our country because of deliberate media malfeasance.
@ Ben
If instead of being a mindless Elbows Up cheerleader, you had taken the time to read read Carney’s leaked EU-Canada Summit surrender document, you would know that it means that Carney will have us pay EU taxes and subject us to their stifling regulation.
Our economic, immigration and environmental policies will be dictated to us by the EU, which you would think would be a big deal with our “media”, but they have more important things to do, like spewing TDS hysteria smokescreens to get the EU deal done for Carney.
@ Ben
Get your head out of your butt.
The libero-fascist klepto-socialists making up the fake world freedom and democracy ranking are even lower on it than the US, so get your head out of your butt.
If you won’t tell us exactly what “closer ties means” I sure as he’ll don’t want you talking about it.
@Tim R 257 pm. Respectfully, the separatist premier wants the same seat at the table as Carney has. The Premier wanted a Quebec side table as if he were PM and to be able to speak to the EU members. No and no. He does not speak for Canada and wants to advance his separatist agenda. Let him sulk all he wants. Who cares?
Europe is a dumpster fire of illegal immigration and catastrophic energy and financial policies led by a warmongering Epstein class “elite”.
No thank you.
@Jimbo Jones 319 pm. With respect, maybe look at the USA. It is very low on world freedom and democracy indices. Most EU countries rank higher, as does Canada. Exaggerating the EU’s problems doesn’t mean we shouldn’t trade with them. After all we trade with the USA. Finally, Carney is hardly acting socialist as PM. I’m sort of disappointed in that but realize it is better for the country. I used to oppose a pipeline in BC. Now I support it. The PM has adapted to what the Canadian public wants and that includes a closer relationship with the EU.
@Jimbo Jones 309pm. Respectfully, associate membership does not surrender our soverignty, or force us to adopt taxes. It also does not subject us to EU taxes.
Crumbling Europe is the happy group of countries that Carney wants to drag us into.
Anarchy, looting, arson, kids getting parts blown off with grenades.
Governments as far out of touch as it can be with the people, especially the young, and led by quislings like Macron.
No wonder Carney and Macron are buddies. They are cut from the same klepto-socialist cloth, and reek of socio-economic rot.
A hard NO to joining the EU.
Rich, put an Elbows Up sock in it.
Carney was never really into Canada and intentionally torpedoed the US trade deal and will torpedo the talks going on now to hand Canada to the EU as penance for losing the UK to Brexit.
So, without consultation, debate or our consent, backdoor dealing Carney has surrendered Canada’s sovereignty to the EU.
With a grand proclamation and the stroke of a pen, we have become subjected to the questionable “benefits” and the crushing burdens of regulatory restrictions imposed on us by the foreign controlled EU parliament.
Associate EU membership means we will pay EU taxes and have our economic, immigration and global warming rot dictated to us by EU bureaucrats in Brussels.
With a majority of low information/IQ Canadians being conditioned by the LPC’s vetted, trusted, and taxpayer subsidized media partners to support our colonization by the EU, our economic collapse is in the cards either by fiat, or even if it’s put to a referendum vote.
So, buckle up buckaroos, it’s going to be a wild ride into the Third World.
Seems the Quebec premier isn’t very pleased with Emperor Carney’s actions
I see the Cons are out in force exhibiting misunderstanding, spreading disinformation, or both. Here’s a couple of things to consider. Canada is not becoming a full member in the EU, so there won’t be millions of immigrants from Europe. I expect that we’ll have immigration, most likely people with skills that are in short supply in Canada. Our fiscal policy won’t be affected because we’re keeping the dollar. We aren’t going to be bound to EU regulations because we aren’t joining the EU Common Market. Instead, we’re going to be an Associate Member which will hopefully spur trade and investment between Canada and the EU. This is a good thing, but no doubt the Cons will find something to complain about.
We’re also not trying to replace the U.S. with the EU. We’re diversifying away from the U.S. Government’s goal is to divide Canadian exports 50/50 between U.S. and non-U.S. markets. We’re already making progress in that direction. I see nothing wrong with diversifying, but I know that Cons like putting all their eggs in one basket.
Finally, the EU isn’t perfect but it isn’t falling apart. It is a large, wealthy market full of countries that understand that trade agreements expand wealth to the benefit of all Member States – basic economics there. This alone makes the EU a better trading partner than the U.S. which, under Trump, sees trade as a zero sum game.
I’d like to see Canada move ahead with the EU and benefit, as we should.
Ben
The E.U is a failing institution with in fighting and digital I.D implementation and quickly to follow digital monetary system.
As well as environmental policy that stifles innovation and growth
Ben must be under the illusion that becoming an associate member somehow immediately improves the infrastructure needed to trade with the EU on the level we do with the US.
Remember, it’s still easier to sell electricity to the Americans than it is to neighbouring provinces. The same is true for many other goods and services. This EU stuff is just political theatre.
Wait until Liberal partisans realize that a formal relationship in the future could mean having Canadian law conform to the desires of political parties like AfD. Lol. Their TDS is going to drive them into the arms of the European far right.
Prepare to have millions of immigrants invade cunada
Just proves that half of canadians (the right) have a brain in their head, the other half not so much
Great news. Being an associate member will increase trade between Canada and the EU, and we can partially extricate ourselves from being dependent on USA trade. Not sure why a reasonable patriotic Canadian would oppose that.