Canada’s Carney embraces tighter ties with E.U. despite Trump warning
The Washington Post reports:
BLUF: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed European lawmakers after E.U. officials said Canada could become the bloc’s first “associate member.”
By Ellen Francis
BRUSSELS — Brushing aside new threats from President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday made a forceful case for pulling closer to the European Union in the face of Washington’s hostility.
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In a speech at the European Parliament, delivered in English and French, Carney laid out his vision for deepening ties on everything from securing critical minerals to providing visa-free work opportunities for citizens.
He welcomed an offer to make Canada an “associate member” of the 27-nation European Union but stopped short of fully endorsing the idea. Carney said the two sides would define their future alliance together.
His speech, repeatedly interrupted by applause from European lawmakers, followed a warning from Trump, who has been locked in a bitter trade war with Canada. Trump said late Wednesday he could impose “very serious tariffs” or cut trade with the E.U. if he determines the offer to Canada is “a hostile act.”
Trump added, however, that “if it’s a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe.”
Asked about Trump’s remarks, Carney told reporters in Strasbourg, “Canadians are united that nobody is going to tell us what language we speak, nobody is going to dictate our culture, or with whom we can strike agreements.”
As Carney confronts Trump’s tariffs and his rhetoric about making Canada the 51st state, the European offer underscores how the Trump administration is reshaping the United States’ relationship with its once-closest allies. The president’s tariffs and annexation threats against NATO allies have prompted many longtime U.S. partners to look for new ways to shield their interests.
Carney addressed the Parliament at its formal headquarters in Strasbourg, France, on Thursday, after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen extended the unprecedented offer for Canada to become the first E.U. “associate member.” The proposal was a key component of her annual State of the European Union speech.
“We welcome this ambition,” Carney said, noting that polling shows a majority of Canadians support closer ties with Europe.
He did not elaborate on the invitation but outlined steps for Europe and Canada to protect themselves in a changing world. “This is a ferocious storm. A single tree will come down in it,” he said. “A forest will not.”
“I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great power rival, only with better manners,” he said, in an apparent quip at Trump and the United States. “We are pursuing resilience so that no one, no one, can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms.”
Carney speaks to reporters after his address. (Yves Herman/Reuters)
The Canadian leader later told reporters his country is “not in a position nor seeking to become a full member of the European Union,” which governs trade for its 27 member states on the continent.
Carney said Canada is still at the start of redefining its partnership with Europe, that this would include parliamentary debate at home, and that “the substance” would matter more than the label.
While Carney did not name the U.S. in his speech, he called for combining strengths with the E.U. on trade, energy security and defense to limit vulnerabilities. He said this would require access to capabilities such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and space-based communications.
“This is about sovereignty, our ability to live as we wish,” he said.
Canada and the E.U., he said, should explore creating an integrated market for financial services, developing AI safety protocols and infrastructure together, and “allowing our youth to live, work and study where they want on either side of the Atlantic.”
European officials have wrestled with concerns about the level of control that American companies have over payment systems, digital platforms and data in their nations.
France’s European affairs minister, Benjamin Haddad, said Thursday that the U.S. has no veto over decisions by the 27-nation bloc.
“It is not up to a foreign power, not the United States or anyone else, to choose the geopolitical direction of the Europeans,” Haddad said on French television network Public Sénat. “Once again, we have a relationship with Canada, and we are fully entitled to seek to deepen it.”
In response to Trump’s overnight comments, European Commission spokesman Olof Gill said it was clear “the proposed strengthening of our partnership with Canada is not against anyone else, but for our common strength.”
The offer from von der Leyen, the head of the E.U. executive branch, on Wednesday marks the most ambitious move yet in the E.U. and Canada’s efforts to boost their partnership.
The status of “associate member” does not exist in the European Union, however. Her proposal, which did not include details about how it could fit into the E.U.’s complex framework, appeared to have caught some European officials off guard.
Haddad, the French minister, acknowledged Thursday that the idea remains undefined. “There is a lot we can do with Canada,” he said. “So I don’t know what title or status it should take, but in any case we all have an interest in … deepening this relationship.”
Ahead of Carney’s speech, Canada’s ambassador-designate to the E.U., Jonathan Wilkinson, told reporters that the country wants to “get as close as we possibly can” to the bloc in a way that strengthens both, “without giving up significant chunks of sovereignty.”
Several E.U. nations have reservations about creating a new type of membership although most favor an enhanced alliance with Canada, said one E.U. diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share internal deliberations.
The E.U. has an array of arrangements on trade and travel with allies beyond its borders, including Norway and Britain.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said Thursday that she did not see a reason for Trump to retaliate against the E.U.’s outreach to Canada.
Metsola suggested in comments to Euronews that talks with Carney could open another path for countries outside Europe that cannot become members to align more closely with the bloc.
AI Generated summary of 694 readers’ comments regarding this story:
The comments express strong criticism of President Donald Trump's approach to international relations, particularly regarding Canada and its efforts to diversify its partnerships.
Many commenters view Trump's actions and rhetoric as hostile, likening him to a bully and expressing concern over his perceived unpredictability and lack of diplomatic skills.
There is support for Canada's decision to seek closer ties with Europe, with commenters suggesting that Trump's behavior is driving allies away and isolating the United States on the global stage.
My comments:
Bolded emphasis mine.
“Donald J.Trump” is the very definition of a hostile actor!
BLUF: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed European lawmakers after E.U. officials said Canada could become the bloc’s first “associate member.”
By Ellen Francis
BRUSSELS — Brushing aside new threats from President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday made a forceful case for pulling closer to the European Union in the face of Washington’s hostility.
Get concise answers to your questions. Try Ask The Post AI.
In a speech at the European Parliament, delivered in English and French, Carney laid out his vision for deepening ties on everything from securing critical minerals to providing visa-free work opportunities for citizens.
He welcomed an offer to make Canada an “associate member” of the 27-nation European Union but stopped short of fully endorsing the idea. Carney said the two sides would define their future alliance together.
His speech, repeatedly interrupted by applause from European lawmakers, followed a warning from Trump, who has been locked in a bitter trade war with Canada. Trump said late Wednesday he could impose “very serious tariffs” or cut trade with the E.U. if he determines the offer to Canada is “a hostile act.”
Trump added, however, that “if it’s a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe.”
Asked about Trump’s remarks, Carney told reporters in Strasbourg, “Canadians are united that nobody is going to tell us what language we speak, nobody is going to dictate our culture, or with whom we can strike agreements.”
As Carney confronts Trump’s tariffs and his rhetoric about making Canada the 51st state, the European offer underscores how the Trump administration is reshaping the United States’ relationship with its once-closest allies. The president’s tariffs and annexation threats against NATO allies have prompted many longtime U.S. partners to look for new ways to shield their interests.
Carney addressed the Parliament at its formal headquarters in Strasbourg, France, on Thursday, after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen extended the unprecedented offer for Canada to become the first E.U. “associate member.” The proposal was a key component of her annual State of the European Union speech.
“We welcome this ambition,” Carney said, noting that polling shows a majority of Canadians support closer ties with Europe.
He did not elaborate on the invitation but outlined steps for Europe and Canada to protect themselves in a changing world. “This is a ferocious storm. A single tree will come down in it,” he said. “A forest will not.”
“I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great power rival, only with better manners,” he said, in an apparent quip at Trump and the United States. “We are pursuing resilience so that no one, no one, can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms.”
Carney speaks to reporters after his address. (Yves Herman/Reuters)
The Canadian leader later told reporters his country is “not in a position nor seeking to become a full member of the European Union,” which governs trade for its 27 member states on the continent.
Carney said Canada is still at the start of redefining its partnership with Europe, that this would include parliamentary debate at home, and that “the substance” would matter more than the label.
While Carney did not name the U.S. in his speech, he called for combining strengths with the E.U. on trade, energy security and defense to limit vulnerabilities. He said this would require access to capabilities such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and space-based communications.
“This is about sovereignty, our ability to live as we wish,” he said.
Canada and the E.U., he said, should explore creating an integrated market for financial services, developing AI safety protocols and infrastructure together, and “allowing our youth to live, work and study where they want on either side of the Atlantic.”
European officials have wrestled with concerns about the level of control that American companies have over payment systems, digital platforms and data in their nations.
France’s European affairs minister, Benjamin Haddad, said Thursday that the U.S. has no veto over decisions by the 27-nation bloc.
“It is not up to a foreign power, not the United States or anyone else, to choose the geopolitical direction of the Europeans,” Haddad said on French television network Public Sénat. “Once again, we have a relationship with Canada, and we are fully entitled to seek to deepen it.”
In response to Trump’s overnight comments, European Commission spokesman Olof Gill said it was clear “the proposed strengthening of our partnership with Canada is not against anyone else, but for our common strength.”
The offer from von der Leyen, the head of the E.U. executive branch, on Wednesday marks the most ambitious move yet in the E.U. and Canada’s efforts to boost their partnership.
The status of “associate member” does not exist in the European Union, however. Her proposal, which did not include details about how it could fit into the E.U.’s complex framework, appeared to have caught some European officials off guard.
Haddad, the French minister, acknowledged Thursday that the idea remains undefined. “There is a lot we can do with Canada,” he said. “So I don’t know what title or status it should take, but in any case we all have an interest in … deepening this relationship.”
Ahead of Carney’s speech, Canada’s ambassador-designate to the E.U., Jonathan Wilkinson, told reporters that the country wants to “get as close as we possibly can” to the bloc in a way that strengthens both, “without giving up significant chunks of sovereignty.”
Several E.U. nations have reservations about creating a new type of membership although most favor an enhanced alliance with Canada, said one E.U. diplomat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share internal deliberations.
The E.U. has an array of arrangements on trade and travel with allies beyond its borders, including Norway and Britain.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said Thursday that she did not see a reason for Trump to retaliate against the E.U.’s outreach to Canada.
Metsola suggested in comments to Euronews that talks with Carney could open another path for countries outside Europe that cannot become members to align more closely with the bloc.
AI Generated summary of 694 readers’ comments regarding this story:
The comments express strong criticism of President Donald Trump's approach to international relations, particularly regarding Canada and its efforts to diversify its partnerships.
Many commenters view Trump's actions and rhetoric as hostile, likening him to a bully and expressing concern over his perceived unpredictability and lack of diplomatic skills.
There is support for Canada's decision to seek closer ties with Europe, with commenters suggesting that Trump's behavior is driving allies away and isolating the United States on the global stage.
My comments:
Bolded emphasis mine.
“Donald J.Trump” is the very definition of a hostile actor!
