Given President Trump’s tariff plans that threaten to turn global economics on its head and put economic force on Canada, it has never been more urgent for Canada to expand and diversify its global trade and alliance opportunities. Enter the EU. The European Union is Canada’s second largest trading partner and one with which we already have a free trade agreement under CETA. In 2023 Canada and the EU traded $157.3 billion in goods and services.
While at first glance it sounds odd for Canada to consider being an EU member (Canada being far from the geographical region of Europe), 19,062,115 (52 per cent) Canadians identify as having a European heritage according to the 2021 Canadian census. The idea apparently has already pinged interest among a few politically connected European folks. We have desirable natural resources to offer Europe and Europe has a large and diversified skilled labour market that could benefit Canada. Becoming an EU member may or may not materialize but at the very least strengthening and expanding our European alliance would benefit both Canada and the EU in a critical step to distance ourselves from Trump tariffs.
President Trump's ludicrous and disrespectful suggestion that Canada should be the 51st State will never happen. Never. Canada will never be for sale. Canada is a sovereign country, one of the earliest members of the Commonwealth of Nations which has 56 sovereign members, a member of NATO, essential member of NORAD, and the most important trading partner for the U.S. While Canada is completely independent, its sovereign is King Charles lll who is represented by Inuk leader Governor General Mary Simon. With two official languages, English and French, and over 200 languages represented in the country (both Indigenous and immigrant), it also represents over 450 ethnic and cultural nationalities making Canada a uniquely diverse nation respected and loved worldwide. While President Trump's whole game may be to get leverage leading up to renegotiating the three-way trade deal with Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, denigrating Canada's independence and sovereignty is insulting.