STRASBOURG, France — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed strong support for a proposal to make Canada the European Union’s first associate member, an unprecedented status that would deepen ties across trade, defense, and technology. Speaking to the European Parliament on Thursday, Carney emphasized that the initiative is designed to strengthen sovereignty rather than to forge a rival superpower bloc.
The comments came in response to sharp criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who labeled the arrangement a “hostile act” and threatened steep tariffs on European goods if he deemed them unfriendly. Trump also dismissed the concept as “laughable.”
“We welcome this ambition,” Carney told lawmakers regarding European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal unveiled on Wednesday. He clarified his intent: “I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival — only with better manners. We do not seek power to dominate others.”
Carney outlined a strategy to integrate Canada and Europe across critical sectors including artificial intelligence, energy, space, research, and financial services. The objective, he stated, is to build resilience so that no single nation can control Canadian markets or dictate its policy choices.
For decades, Canada’s economy has been closely woven with that of the United States. However, recent tariff demands, calls for economic concessions, and Trump’s recurrent rhetoric about making Canada the “51st state” have prompted Ottawa to seek stronger transatlantic links. Von der Leyen described the goal as taking the Canada-EU relationship to the “highest level possible,” moving beyond the existing free trade agreement toward a broader “Alliance for the Future.”
Lawmakers in the European Parliament gave the proposal a standing ovation, with Carney rising from the front row to embrace von der Leyen. The two sides are scheduled to discuss the details further at a summit in Montreal on October 29-30.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s ambassador-designate to the EU, noted that Ottawa is not pursuing full membership, which would require surrendering sovereignty, but instead aims to get “as close as we possibly can” to the bloc. While the specifics of associate membership remain to be negotiated, Canada has already begun integrating with European defense structures. Earlier this year, it became the first non-European nation to join the EU’s $173-billion SAFE defense procurement program.
Experts suggest the geopolitical climate is driving this shift. Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University, observed that Trump’s policies are pushing both nations to imagine a world without strong U.S. leadership. Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, added that Carney’s firm stance against Trump has heightened European interest in Canada, reinforcing the perception that Ottawa understands Washington well enough to resist its pressure.
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