Strasbourg [France], September 18 (ANI): Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney took a swipe at the United States on Thursday (local time), saying that Canada’s proposal to deepen ties with the European Union was not aimed at creating a new geopolitical bloc “with better manners,” CNN reported.
Carney’s remarks came a day after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed that Canada become the bloc’s first “associate member” — a designation that does not currently exist, but which nonetheless provoked a fresh tariff threat from US President Donald Trump, according to CNN.
Canada and the European Union have both been on the sharp end of Trump’s combative approach to trade, including with allies, prompting efforts to seek new alliances to strengthen their economies, CNN reported.
Carney said a deeper partnership with Europe was intended to create “resilience” rather than “self-sufficiency.”
“I’m not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great power rival, only with better manners,” Carney told EU lawmakers in France.
“We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten territorial integrity or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law,” he said.
Carney later told reporters that Canadian lawmakers would debate and ultimately vote on the “final structure” of a new alliance with the EU, according to CNN.
He stressed that Canada was neither in a position to become a full member of the European Union nor seeking to become one.
“This is an opportunity to make Canada stronger, more sovereign, more independent, more prosperous, more sustainable,” he said.
Canada is locked in a trade war with the United States, its largest trading partner, lending urgency to efforts to deepen ties with the European Union, which has itself faced several trade disputes with Washington.
Trump said on Wednesday (local time) that the United States could impose “heavy tariffs” on the European Union if he considers any new agreement with Canada to be 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, which is a possibility,” he told reporters.
The remarks come as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday (local time) delivered a landmark address to the European Parliament, warmly welcoming European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s historic proposal for Canada to become the European Union’s very first Associate Member.
Addressing lawmakers in Strasbourg a day after von der Leyen pitched the groundbreaking initiative during her State of the Union address, Carney embraced the vision of a transformed transatlantic bond.
Welcoming the initiative, Carney described the partnership between Canada and the EU as a proactive model for global democratic governance. He characterised it as a resilient alliance dedicated to upholding international law and ensuring its agenda is not dictated by outside forces.
“A Canada-EU alliance would create a beacon for other democracies, an alliance not defined by what we oppose, but about what we are for: freedom, solidarity, prosperity, sustainability,” the Canadian PM said.
“An alliance that builds resilience for what it allows us to do; for our citizens and our citizens to do for themselves; an alliance strong enough so that no one can dictate our choices, an alliance open enough that others can join, an alliance principled enough that our strength reinforces international law rather than seeks to replace it,” he added.
Beyond trade, defence capabilities, and raw economic leverage, Carney placed significant emphasis on social integration and youth mobility, advocating for seamless transatlantic opportunities.
“An alliance for the future is a unique, positive approach that we will define together, building on our common strengths and based on our shared values,” he declared. “We should deepen our people-to-people ties, allowing our youth to work, study, and live where they want on either side of the Atlantic.” (ANI)