Listen to this articleDear 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated using AI-based technology. Pronunciation errors may occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve results. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday that Canada plans to begin talks on a “unique alliance” with the European Union. Carney was responding to a Wall Street Journal article that said Canada was seeking to become an “associate member” of the 27-nation bloc. That report included this quote from Finnish President Alexander Stubb: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Canada were the 28th state of the European Union instead of the 51st state of the United States?” tomorrow. Is Canada planning to join the EU? No, says Carney. The prime minister reiterated Sunday at the Toronto International Film Festival that that is not the plan. “We are not seeking to become a member of the European Union,” Carney said, adding that officials are instead seeking to begin discussions about a “single alliance.” “We share the same values, we have the same priorities and we have very complementary strengths,” he said. SEE | See Carney’s commentary here: Canada seeks ‘single alliance’ with EU, not membership: Carney Prime Minister Mark Carney was asked on the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival about a Wall Street Journal report that suggested he was exploring whether Canada could become an ‘associate member’ of the European Union. He said Canada plans to start talks for a “single alliance” with the bloc, but will not seek membership. Has the idea of full EU membership been mooted? Not officially, but the idea has circulated among the media and some people in power as Canada seeks to become less dependent on its relationship with the United States. One public example was a comment by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who said in March that “perhaps Canada at some point” could sign up for the political and economic union. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, pictured in Helsinki on Monday, casually floated the idea of Canada joining the EU in March. (Mikko Stig/Lehtikuva/The Associated Press) Barrot’s comments at a European conference in Berlin drew laughter and applause at the time, although Carney has consistently said, as far back as June 2025, that membership is not on the table. He then said he wants to “cooperate much more clearly and broadly for our mutual benefit.” A Street Journal article said Carney is pushing his team to take Ottawa’s relationship with the EU “to the next level,” including having Canada adopt a new title: “Associate Member of the European Union.” “Associate member” is not a legal designation. A senior Canadian official, who provided information to CBC News without attribution purposes, said the “associate member” label is one of a few that have been considered and that Canada did not propose it. The official added that the government is still examining what the relationship could look like and hopes to outline it more clearly at the EU-Canada summit in late October. The official said they did a deep analysis of the EU’s relations with non-member countries Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Georgia and said none of them would work because the Canadian government does not want to give up independence in exchange for access. What do we know about deepening ties between the EU and Canada? Carney and the EU ambassador to Canada, Geneviève Tuts, have both used the same word: “unique.” But there have been few official details beyond the willingness of both sides to reach an agreement. Carney said Aug. 22 that the two sides would talk this fall about building a “much stronger and deeper” economic and security partnership. This is in addition to their free trade agreement (CETA) which was only partially implemented and the non-trade Strategic Partnership Agreement as well as the Defense and Security Partnership which they signed in June 2025. Tuts said what that looks like is still being worked on.WATCH | Canada should increase trade, says Dion: Canada ‘won’t become a member of the EU,’ says Stéphane Dion Former Liberal leader and special envoy to the European Union Stéphane Dion says the idea of Canada joining the EU will “never happen,” but Canada should look to increase trade with the EU above eight per cent. Conservatives and liberals “should all agree that this is what we have to do,” he added. The Wall Street Journal report says Canada and the EU are “studying ways” for Canada to move closer on energy, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and defence. The Canadian official said they are looking at more options for where Canadians study, travel, do business and retire. Carney on Thursday and by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday. Achim Hurrelmann, co-director of the Center for European Studies at Carleton University, says the new agreement appears to be being put together in a hurry. He said the plan could include things like collaboration on a European reserve of critical minerals, university student exchanges through the Erasmus program and a digital trade deal. Hurrelmann said all of this could amount to a series of agreements rather than one major pact, or a grab bag of ideas thrown together under the label “strategic capabilities cooperation.” “There are a lot of initiatives, but right now, as far as I can see, they don’t really amount to this systematically new step in the relationship,” he said. “I’m not really sure if the substance will really justify the new label.”
