Should Canada join the European Union?

In the wake of Trump's return to the White House, nations on the fringe of the EU are rethinking their European relations. Switzerland has agreed to closer ties, the UK is seeking a reset. Iceland will vote on joining in 2027, and Greenland is likely to follow suit, if only to avoid Trump's obsessive attention.

What of Canada, which Trump has suggested should become the USA's 51st state? Should Europe invite Canada to become the 28th EU state?

Arguments for:

* Canada is vast in size and mineral wealth. Europe (440m citizens) can supplement Canada's sparse population (44m).
* Canada is already an honorary European nation, having been colonised three times by Scandinavians, French, British.
* Canadians, like Europeans, believe that markets should be moderated by the welfare state.
* Another francophone country to keep France happy.
* Canada would give Europe a Pacific frontier and a truly global outlook.
* It would really p**s off Trump 🤣

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Stephie · 22-25, F

EU stands for European Union and not for World Union.

It has been debated in Europe whether Turkey should be admitted into the EU given that more than 80% of Turkey is located in Asia and thus, does not qualify as a European nation.

As for Switzerland, even though the politicians would love for the country to be closer to the EU, the people have the final vote on that. It is not likely to pass a popular vote in Switzerland once the details of the last negotiations are known.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@Stephie Europe is not a discrete geographical entity. Many ideas about where Europe begins and ends are essentially political and cultural. Hence my idea for expanding westwards.

Stephie · 22-25, F

@SunshineGirl That's the problem with Europe altogether and not only on the political level. Take the European Song Contest. They allowed Israel to join when this nation has absolutely no ties with Europe. That is a shame and is a blatant proof that Europe is not neutral and unbiased.

ArishMell · 70-79, M

@Stephie That fact of geography is not the only, perhaps not even main, reason for Turkey's attempts to join the EU being rebuffed. Instead it is the increasingly authoritarian rule by President Erdogan, whose regime has jailed more journalists than any other country - except perhaps now Russia.

It is interesting that Iceland is seeking EU membership. She was a member years ago, at least of the EU's forerunner the European Economic Community that the UK "joined"; but later left it. I don't know the reasons.

I am puzzled why Israel as a non-European nation was allowed to enter the European Song Contest, as the contest has nothing at all to do with the European Union, nor with any individual European country's domestic politics, and is not run by any of those bodies.

Nor do I see what "bias" there may be as you allege, since "Europe" is not a nation, but a motley assortment of over two dozen politically and culturally very different nations with their own interests.

Elessar · 26-30, M

@Stephie We can just rename it to ECU (Euro-Canada Union), problem solved

Let the maple syrup flow free 🍁

Stephie · 22-25, F

@Elessar ECU sounds too European. The forerunner of the Euro was supposed to be the ECU. Also, the "Ecu" was a former French monetary unit.

Elessar · 26-30, M

@Stephie Okay, CEU, but it sounds too much like the acronym of a German party