Carney to Trump: ‘No one can tell us who we should ally ourselves with. We and the EU are kindred spirits’

‘Canada and Europe are not bound by geographical ties; they are bound by an elective affinity, a choice that has been renewed and, for that very reason, is even stronger. Together, Canada and Europe are stronger.’ This was stated by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney whilst addressing the European Parliament’s plenary session the day after President von der Leyen’s announcement that Ottawa would become an associate member of the EU, sparking a reaction from US President Donald Trump, who threatened new, heavy tariffs.

“An alliance is a positive process. I say this also with the US President in mind. A stronger, more resilient Canada is a more effective partner for the US too, and the same applies to the EU,” Carney continued, emphasising that the partnership process “will strengthen Canada’s sovereignty. Canadians are already united. No one imposes a language on them, or places restrictions on their culture or partnerships.’

‘I am not proposing a third bloc,’ he continued, ‘with the aim of becoming a major rival power – merely one that acts in a more civilised manner. We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so that no one can control our open markets or our sovereignty, or threaten our territorial integrity or our democracies. These motivations, combined with our latent strength, enable us to help shape the next just, stable and prosperous world order. A Canada–EU alliance would serve as a beacon for other democracies.’

‘Canada appreciates the ambition’ to become the EU’s first associate member, and surveys show that the majority of Canadians would be in favour of deeper ties. An alliance for the future is one approach. Canada and the EU should safeguard our strategic independence through very close cooperation across all sectors. We must deepen the ties between our peoples and move towards digital trade between us. Canada’s participation in Erasmus+ would provide great opportunities for our students and yours. Being part of the next generation of Horizon would enable us to cooperate on advanced technologies and to foster collaboration between our research institutions,” said Carney.

Before his speech, the European Parliament gave the Canadian Prime Minister a star-like welcome. As he entered – introduced by President Roberta Metsola – many applauded, whilst others approached the Prime Minister to shake his hand or ask for a selfie. Among the first to greet him were the President of the Socialists, Iratxe Garcia Perez, and the Co-Chair of the Greens group, Terry Reintke. For the occasion, Reintke wore a Canada ice hockey team sweatshirt bearing the number nine of Simon Crosby, the star player of one of the most popular sports in the North American country.