Carney welcomes EU’s ‘associate member’ plan, while Trump lashes out

STRASBOURG, FRANCE — Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the European Unions’ invitation to become its first ever “associate member,” pitching Canadian energy and critical minerals in exchange for knocking down trade and travel barriers as well as deeper integration on tech, defence and artificial intelligence.

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On Thursday morning, Carney delivered a speech to hundreds of members of European Parliament (MEP) members as well as EU chief Ursula von der Leyen at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

The prime minister confirmed Canada’s interest in becoming the first ever “associate member” of the Union, an invitation extended the previous day by von der Leyen.

His speech aimed to pitch Canada as a natural ally for the block of 27 European countries in the face of international upheaval — a “tremendous storm,” in his words — and the creation of the next world order. He sold Canada as a reliable partner in the face of increasing trade violence and volatility by U.S. President Donald Trump.

He delivered the speech on the heels of new tit-for-tat tariffs between Canada and the U.S. after trade negotiations between both countries once again failed to deliver a new deal.

Already close, Canada and the European Union should cooperate even more to build up their defence industrial bases, develop sovereign compute but also regulate artificial intelligence, and make it easier for students to move between them, Carney argued.

“We are not fair-weather allies. We do not pursue zero-sum deals,” he told hundreds of European lawmakers. “Our commitment to the rule of law and our unyielding defence of human dignity, individual freedom, and democracy share the same deep roots, the same unwavering dedication.”

Canada has loads of energy, including natural gas and hydrogen, and critical minerals that Europe will need for decades, he argued. On the flip side, Canada can contribute to Europe’s military procurement and development and would like to pool “sovereign compute power” to break away from foreign tech giant dependence.

He would also like Canada to join Erasmus+, a 26.2 billion Euro program student mobility and exchange program.

“Canada and Europe should consider exploring an integrated market for financial services to broaden choice and reduce costs for our citizens,” he added.

Much like his headline-grabbing speech at the World Economic Forum at Davos in January, Carney’s speech repeatedly took aim at U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration without naming the president. This time, he focus his criticism on the U.S.’s growing use of tariffs and trade threats to ply longtime allies like Canada.

“Today, our societies are being shaken by new storms: the upheavals linked to climate change, the erosion of democratic norms, and the use of trade as a weapon,” said the prime minister.

“Economic integration is now being used as a weapon, and tariffs as a means of pressure. Financial mechanisms are being used for coercive purposes,” he added in French.

Carney’s star power in Europe was on full display before and after his speech. In fact, the start of his talk was delayed roughly ten minutes as dozens of European lawmakers huddled around the prime minister to shake his hand, exchange some words and, occasionally, take a selfie.

Terry Reintke, a German politician and co-president of the Greens–European Free Alliance Group, wore a Sidney Crosby Team Canada jersey and was all smiles as she posed for a picture with Carney before he spoke.

Then, as Carney took the stand, Siegbert Droese — one of the few MEPs from the populist right wing Europe of Sovereign Nations Group attending the speech — chanted “USA! USA!” earning himself groans from other lawmakers and a shrug from the prime minister.

His speech was frequently interrupted by applause and received a hearty standing ovation, hoots and hollers from nearly all MEPs in the room. Only members of the most right wing political group remained silent.

von der Leyen’s invitation for Canada to become an “associate member” of the EU attracted Trump’s ire Wednesday evening, with the president lobbing a bevy of threats against Europe if he perceives the new Canada-EU alliance as a “hostile act.”

“If it’s a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe,” Trump told reporters, calling the notion of an associate membership for Canada “laughable”.

Carney appeared to address Trump’s threat indirectly in his speech on Thursday, assuring the unnamed president that his goal was not to create a new alliance hostile to the U.S.

“I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival, only with better manners,” Carney said. Dozens of EU parliamentarians laughed and clapped in response.

“We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience, so no one, no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law.”

National Post

cnardi@postmedia.com

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