Carney seizes Canada-EU associate membership plan despite Trump’s ire

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday welcomed a proposal for Canada to become the European Union’s first associate member, but said he did not mean for a closer alliance to create a new bloc that would rival the world’s great powers.

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump suggested the proposed arrangement could be a “hostile act” and threatened heavy tariffs on Europe if he judged its intentions to be unfriendly. Trump also called the idea “laughable”.

“We welcome this ambition,” Carney told the European Parliament of European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal, unveiled on Wednesday.

Carney said plainly what he was proposing: deeper Canada-Europe integration across trade, defence, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, space, research and financial services to make both sides less vulnerable to economic and geopolitical pressure.