Mark Carney Rejects U.S. Pressure and Backs Closer Ties Between Canada and the EU

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the increasingly close relationship between Canada and the European Union on Thursday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, and rejected the idea that the United States could dictate the agreements Ottawa enters into. His remarks came after Donald Trump threatened “severe tariffs” if Canada became an associate member of the EU.

Carney argued that a stronger and more resilient Canada would be a more effective partner for the United States. The prime minister warned, however, that no one would dictate to Canada what language it should speak, what culture it should defend or with whom it should make agreements.

The discussion about possible “associate member” status was launched on Wednesday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union address. The proposal surprised several European capitals and even the authorities in Ottawa.

In his speech, Carney used the term “associate member” and said that von der Leyen had paved the way for Canada to become the first state with this status. He nevertheless downplayed the dispute over the name of the future relationship, saying that what matters is what Canada and the EU build together.