EU chief continues to push making Canada an associate member despite objections

 

Politics

EU chief continues to push making Canada an associate member despite objections

 

Carney says the name of alliance 'doesn't matter' as long as it delivers

 

Catharine Tunney · CBC News · Posted: Oct 29, 2026 11:14 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

 

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen first brought up the idea of associate membership for Canada last month. She said Thursday in Montreal that she hasn't abandoned the idea. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen continues to champion making Canada an associate member of the European Union, despite objections from members of the 27-member bloc.

In a keynote speech in Montreal on Thursday morning, the head of the European Union's executive body renewed her pitch to carve out a partnership with Canada "that comes closer to membership than anything we've done before."

Von der Leyen and other European Union officials are in Montreal for a two-day summit aimed at forging a new phase in the Canada-EU relationship, as they both seek to lessen dependence on the United States under an unpredictable and protectionist President Donald Trump. 

"In a world of growing rivalries, sovereignty and independence are no longer just the freedom to act alone — it is the capacity to act together. And this is why we will build an alliance for the future," she said.

"And we start with Canada."

What to call that alliance has loomed over the gathering.

The day before von der Leyen's speech, it was revealed the words "associate membership" were removed from the draft of a joint statement expected to be published on Friday and replaced with a commitment to an "ever closer association," as objections within the bloc percolate.

However, von der Leyen — who surprised many last month when she announced that the EU would begin the process of making Canada its first associate member — marched on with her vision in her Thursday speech.

"It is an association without accession," she said. 

The leader said becoming an associate member would see a close alignment on policies, including AI, climate, energy, security and governance.

After Canada's 'associate membership' of the EU was reportedly removed from a proposed joint statement on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned the idea again on Thursday, suggesting a partnership 'that comes closer to membership than anything we've done before.'

"It means more work shared by the European Commission and the Canadian government," von der Leyen said, suggesting that could mean "parliament to parliament" and "court to court" co-operation.

As European Commission president, von der Leyen can advocate for policies but it's up to the bloc to decide what happens next.

Sources speaking to CBC News said Germany in particular opposes the "associate member" term, calling it a red line. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney says what 'matters' at the EU summit set to take place later this week in Montreal is 'Canada as a whole becoming a more independent, more sovereign nation so we can live our lives as we choose.'

Carney says the nomenclature doesn't matter.

"This new alliance is not a marketing exercise. The name doesn't matter," he told reporters during a news conference on Thursday.

"What matters to Canadians ultimately from this new alliance is going to be affordability, it's going to be opportunity. Opportunity for young Canadians, to live, travel, study. Opportunities for our researchers to plug into one of the most advanced research networks across a wide range of domains."

Trump has threatened retaliation

Talk of making Canada an associate member has irked Trump, who previously said if he interpreted the move as a "hostile act," he might stop trading with Europe "on many things."

It raises the question of whether the president will look unkindly at this week's gathering in Montreal.

Asked Wednesday about the possibility of retaliation from Trump, a senior Canadian government official, speaking on background, told reporters the summit isn't directed against anyone but reflected deep interests between Canada and the EU. 

Carney government invests $1.6B in AI company

Over the course of the summit, the two sides are expected to continue talks on deepening trade, investment and security partnerships.

In their Thursday speeches both von der Leyen and Carney stressed the importance of collaborating on artificial intelligence. On the sidelines of the summit, the prime minister announced plans to invest up to $1.6 billion in Cohere, the Toronto-based company specializing in generative AI.

"We're not waiting for the future of AI to be decided somewhere else by those we don't know or by whom we don't trust," said Carney.

The version of the EU-Canada statement seen by CBC News also commits to reinforcing "a predictable trade environment, deepening collaboration in the Arctic, countering foreign information manipulation and interference and continued support for Ukraine."

Delegates from the EU are in Montreal for a summit to launch negotiations to deepen trade and other partnerships between Canada and the European Union. We hear from former leader of the federal Liberals and former Special Envoy to Europe, Stéphane Dion, and from Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice President for the European Commission, on what this new alliance means for Canada and the EU.

Both sides are also promising to launch negotiations toward deeper participation in Erasmus, the European Union's student and youth exchange program.

A source speaking to CBC News on the condition they not be named says this statement is now finalized by EU member countries, but Canada could still ask for changes before the summit wraps on Friday.

Canada's Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre called the summit a "grand theatrical meeting to sign a bunch of meaningless declarations filled with big words."

"No one's mortgage or grocery bill will come down," he posted on social media.

"Get EU countries to let our beef into the continent and cancel their planned carbon tariff on Canada. Otherwise stop wasting your time and our money. Both are running out."

for CBC in Nova Scotia. You can reach her at catharine.tunney@cbc.ca