Canada’s Carney’s ‘unique alliance’ with the EU? It’s already being built

A ‘unique alliance’ or ‘associate membership’; either way Canadian prime minister Mark Carney wants the cosiest of relationships with the European Union. Carney is due to attend Ursula von der Leyen’s ‘State of the Union’ address in Strasbourg on Wednesday (16 September). He told reporters in Toronto before travelling that he wants to start talks on a privileged partnership. In truth, the idea of Canada as the EU’s 28th state is as fanciful as it becoming the 51st US state, but a close relationship – perhaps closer even than between the UK and EU – makes a lot of sense politically. A middle-ranking power with the US to its south and China to its west, Canada has some of the raw materials that the EU needs. Yet Carney’s remarks are not revolutionary. The talks he mentioned have already started. Last year, the Carney government agreed a defence and security cooperation pact with the EU, as well as a cut price €10m deal to have access to the EU’s €800bn new defence procurement scheme. Following talks with Canadian ministers last June, EU Commission officials said that they wanted to build on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada, already one of the most ambitious EU trade deals, by opening talks on a digital trade agreement. They also want transatlantic cooperation between Ottawa and Brussels on economic security. Industrial policy and carbon pricing. So what comes next? To read this story, log in or subscribeEnjoy access to all articles and 25 years of archives, comment and gift articles. Become a subscriber for as low as €1,75 per week.Read without limitsAlready a subscriber? Login