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Time of India
06-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Could Canada join the European Union? rising public support and strategic interest amid US tensions
Why Canadians are considering the EU EU reaction: curious, but skeptical Live Events Legal and logistical hurdles Strategic realignment in the making? In a geopolitical twist few anticipated a decade ago, a growing number of Canadians are contemplating what once seemed unthinkable — joining the European Union. Recent polling data and shifting trade dynamics have reignited discussions around a potential Canada-EU partnership that goes far beyond trade deals.A March 2025 survey conducted by Abacus Data found that 46 per cent of Canadians support the idea of EU membership, with only 29 per cent opposing it. The remaining 25 per cent are undecided, signaling a nation increasingly curious about alternative global alignments. This comes amid rising political and economic tensions between Canada and the United States, largely fueled by President Donald Trump's renewed protectionist agenda and confrontational rhetoric toward traditional read: Trump threatens EU & Canada with 'large scale tariffs' if they team up against US The interest in EU membership is not purely symbolic. Canada is facing renewed economic pressure from Washington, including heavy tariffs on key Canadian exports like steel, aluminum, and softwood lumber. With bilateral relations deteriorating, Canadian businesses and policymakers are actively exploring ways to reduce economic dependency on the US, which accounts for over 75 per cent of Canada's political climate has made the European Union, a bloc seen as standing for stability, multilateralism , and economic opportunity, a more attractive partner. Canada already enjoys a robust trade agreement with the EU via the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), but many now believe a deeper political and economic integration could provide the country with more autonomy and leaders have taken note. Paula Pinho, a spokesperson for the European Commission, responded to the poll results by saying that the EU is "honored" by Canadian interest. However, she was quick to clarify that only geographically European nations are currently eligible for EU membership under the bloc's treaties, effectively ruling out formal membership for the poll has stirred political debate across Europe and Canada. Some European commentators have suggested the possibility of a "privileged partnership" or a new transatlantic political mechanism, allowing Canada deeper integration without formal read: Trade war is on: From meat to toilet paper, EU imposes $28 billion in tariffs on U.S. products, making goods more expensive for billions and pushing global economies toward recession Experts are quick to note that Canada's accession to the EU would require a complete overhaul of the EU's constitutional framework. Moreover, even if eligible, Canada would have to adopt policies aligned with the EU's economic, environmental, and human rights standards—something it already aligns closely with, making such a partnership more feasible than with other formal EU membership for Canada remains highly improbable in the near term, the conversation reflects a strategic shift. Canada is no longer content with being economically tethered to an unpredictable US administration. The growing interest in the EU underscores a broader public appetite for multilateralism, economic diversification, and global cooperation As global politics continue to evolve, one thing is clear: Canada's future may lie not just in its backyard, but across the Atlantic.
CBC
15-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Manitoba premier floats idea of 2nd Hudson Bay port to increase trade with Europe
Premier Wab Kinew on Tuesday raised the idea of creating a second port on Hudson Bay as Manitoba hosted a delegation of European Union diplomats looking to forge stronger links with the province. European Union Ambassador Geneviève Tuts and 18 heads of mission of European member states met with Kinew at the legislative building. "We're looking for closer relationships … given what's happening with the U.S. right now," Kinew told reporters after a closed-door meeting with the delegation, which arrived Monday for a two-day visit. The gathering was a chance to show the countries, which represent a market of 450 million people, that Manitoba is open for business, he said. With the trade threats made by U.S. President Donald Trump, there is a need to look at options for exports, which could include another port away from Churchill, Kinew said. This is the first time Kinew has indicated any openness to the idea of a second port, which has been raised before. The prior Progressive Conservative government in Manitoba put forward a funding commitment to study it, but Kinew's government cancelled that. On Tuesday, he said the idea would not even be on the table if Trump didn't upend world trade. Kinew on Monday said he ordered Manitoba Hydro not to renew 500 megawatts worth of expiring contracts to export hydroelectricity to the United States. On Tuesday, he said he wants to redirect some of that power to northern Manitoba to strengthen the port and make it into a "really strong and very viable trade corridor." "I think that we can really turn this period of turbulence into a period of opportunity," he said. Tuts said before the meeting that the delegation will focus on many topics, but she specifically highlighted biotech, clean energy and raw materials "for the digital transition," referring to critical minerals. She also underscored the importance of making full use of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) signed in 2016. "I think that Manitoba has all of the ingredients to deepen even more the friendship and the partnership. Europe has some needs, Manitoba as well. That's maybe the reason why we have decided to visit your beautiful province," Tuts said. Kinew said the meeting also covered cultural diplomacy — bringing an EU film festival to Manitoba and sending artistic exhibits and performances overseas. The EU heads of mission will also meet with the Business Council of Manitoba and the Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, and tour the Canadian North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) headquarters and CentrePort Canada, a key hub for international trade, a news release from the province said. The delegation is made up of the ambassadors and high commissioners of Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canada Makes Case to US States Against Return of Trump Tariffs
(Bloomberg) -- Canada will keep trying to persuade the Trump administration to drop its tariff plans, in part by reaching out to US states that have significant trading relationships with their northern neighbor, trade minister Mary Ng said. Nice Airport, If You Can Get to It: No Subway, No Highway, No Bridge Sin puente y sin metro: el nuevo aeropuerto de Lima es una debacle Citadel to Leave Namesake Chicago Tower as Employees Relocate NYC Sees Pedestrian Traffic Increase in Congestion-Pricing Zone How London's Taxi Drivers Navigate the City Without GPS 'These are states that do business that have strong relationships with Canada,' she said Saturday in an interview during a visit to Brussels. 'And we've done that work because it's important to be in touch with those trading partners at the state level, at the local level.' She added, 'It's really important for the Americans to themselves arrive at a conclusion that tariffs are actually going to make life more expensive for Americans.' Ng was in Brussels to meet European Union trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic to discuss business promotion efforts and to push for progress on ratifying the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, known as CETA. She said that she briefed Sefcovic on Canada's negotiations with President Donald Trump over his Feb. 1 order to impose 25% tariffs on much of the country's trade with the US. Canada was able to secure a 30-day suspension of those penalties, in part by promising a border security plan aimed at addressing the illegal drug trade. 'Going forward, we should spend the time to find those things that we could be doing to actually meet what the president is looking for in terms, sort of, of the golden age of America,' she said. 'But at the same time, it also has to work for Canada.' On Friday, Trump said he aims to move ahead with reciprocal tariffs against 'everyone' as early as next week, although he didn't offer any specifics. Ng didn't address Trump's latest remarks, saying her conversations in Brussels were focused mostly on where Canada and the EU could bolster their own trading relationships, particularly when it comes to critical minerals and renewable energy. 'If you think about Canada being a superpower for energy, for example, in the areas of hydrogen or renewable energy, that has been something that we have been working with our trading partners, and certainly the Europeans,' she said. She also said she is encouraged that more EU member states are pushing to complete ratification procedures on CETA, which she credits with boosting trade between Canada and the EU by 65% since 2018, soon after it provisionally came into force. 'I am seeing movement,' she said. Seventeen of 27 EU member states, plus the UK, have ratified the deal. Others, including France, have struggled to take that final step. Business Schools Confront Trump Immigration Policies Orange Juice Makers Are Desperate for a Comeback Believing in Aliens Derailed This Internet Pioneer's Career. Now He's Facing Prison The Reason Why This Super Bowl Has So Many Conspiracy Theories Inside Elon Musk's Attack on the US Government ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
