Canadians warm to EU ‘associate membership’ proposal

Some Canadians are already embracing their newfound European identities after the European Union floated the potential for “associate member” status amid the trade war with the United States.

“Telling my boss I don’t need to show up for work today cuz I’m [European],” an X user joked as talk of closer ties between Canada and the EU spawned a flood of memes about everything from cigarettes for breakfast to generous European vacation time.

“If Canada joins the EU I’m taking [seven] weeks off work next summer,” wrote another user.

Canada is not joining the EU, but the prospect of a new kind of relationship with Europe had been kicking around for days.

It comes after Canada and the US’s trade war broke out as negotiations failed to head off US President Donald Trump’s threatened 50 percent tariffs on nearly $20bn worth of Canadian products, including machinery, textiles and hockey sticks. Back-and-forth retaliatory measures have resulted in both sides slapping new tariffs on each other.

Canadian officials initially pushed back on news reports of the “associate membership” possibility with the EU.

Then, on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the proposal public . By Thursday, Canada’s own vision was becoming clearer.

Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed von der Leyen’s ambition, describing what he wanted as an “alliance for the future” spanning critical minerals, defence, artificial intelligence, energy, digital trade, research and financial services.