Canadian Prime Minister Calls for Deeper Canada-EU Strategic Partnership in EP Speech
Prime Minister Mark Carney urged the European Parliament to forge a tighter strategic alliance with Canada, highlighting shared values and joint security of critical resources.
Mark Carney addressed the European Parliament, calling for a comprehensive Canada-EU strategic partnership built on common democratic values. While most MEPs welcomed him, leaders of the Patriotic Europeans, Fidesz and the German AfD stayed away, and one far-right member shouted “USA! USA!
USA!”. Carney used the historic Vimy-ridge oak as a metaphor for resilient ties and warned that climate change, erosion of democratic norms and weaponised trade pose new risks. He outlined cooperation on critical minerals—citing Canada’s over 34 deposits—and on LNG, hydrogen and clean-energy technologies.
The premier also advocated joint AI governance, shared computing capacity, and a more integrated financial market. Finally, he suggested expanding academic exchanges and hinted that deeper ties could serve as a model for other democracies, without creating a rival bloc.
Why it matters
Stronger Canada-EU cooperation could secure critical supplies and reinforce democratic standards amid global geopolitical strain.
How this story developed
- Sep 3 EU ministers clash over budget cuts as frugal states demand higher ambition
- Sep 3 Donald Trump said Spain is becoming a ruined nation because of the migrant surge at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
- Sep 4 EU leaders will hear Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech, where climate policy is expected to feature after a scorching summer.
- Sep 6 Von der Leyen will address climate issues in her September 16 State of the Union speech.
- Sep 7 Trump’s latest comments added a new criticism of Spain’s immigration handling since his earlier “ruined country” statement.
- Sep 7 EU officials and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are preparing a new partnership that would deepen cooperation in commerce, security, space research and critical minerals. Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce the initiative in her upcoming European Parliament speech, with a summit slated for Canada in October. The talks aim to create a tightly linked alliance that can balance the influence of the United States and China. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has urged the formation of new alliances to counter perceived threats, without directly naming Canada as a US state.
- Sep 12 The German chancellor’s meeting brought frugal leaders together and featured Draghi’s call for higher borrowing, adding a new dimension to the budget dispute.
- Sep 13 Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Strasbourg to speak to the European Parliament after the commission president’s address.
- Sep 14 Ursula von der Leyen delivered her State of the Union speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, outlining the bloc’s priorities for the coming year.
- Sep 16 The speech is expected to address AI, climate change, summer wildfires, Russia's war in Ukraine, Middle‑East conflicts, international trade tensions, and online child protection, and she will present a draft law to limit
- Sep 16 Czarnek’s proposal to withdraw Poland from the EU ETS was filed in the Sejm.
- Sep 17 Ursula von der Leyen invited Canada to become the EU’s first associate member.
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