this post was submitted on 25 Feb 2025
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AMID US president Donald Trump’s tariffs and annexation threats, Sigmar Gabriel, former German vice chancellor and foreign minister, made a curious suggestion in an interview with German media outlet The Pioneer: invite Canada into the European Union. Soon after, Guy Verhofstadt, former prime minister of Belgium, addressed Canada on X to say that “[t]here is no reason why EU membership should be off the table.” The thought of this North Atlantic alliance excited some Canadians and Europeans—one YouTube video even theorized how “CANEU” (read: canoe) would be a “global superpower.”

To learn more about what the possibilities are for Canada and the EU, I spoke with Mark Camilleri, president and CEO of the Canada EU Trade and Investment Association—CEUTIA—based in Brussels.

"In terms of trade, what similarities do Canada and the EU share?"

There’s a lot of complementarities when you go across sectors. Take mining, for example. Canada has an abundance of natural resources that the EU doesn’t have, but Europe creates and makes a lot of industrial equipment that helps extract those resources. Europe has a certain need for these resources as part of their own economic security.

If you take a look at the fertilizer that Canada produces, Europe needs it to support their agricultural sector. Another example is nuclear energy. Nuclear is going through a renaissance at the moment, and Canada can basically cover the full supply chain from mining uranium to building nuclear reactors.

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[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 28 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Trade with Europe, and take doctors and scientists from the USA. This is an opportunity for Canada.

[–] Sunshine@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Buy some gripens from Sweden and Nukes from the UK.

Edit fixed mistake.

[–] Skua@kbin.earth 8 points 2 weeks ago

Gripen is the Swedish one, France's jet is the Rafale

But I mean either way it's a fast jet made in Europe

[–] miss_demeanour@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Canada shares a common land border with Denmark.
They could be welcomed into the EU in a heartbeat.

[–] jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

They could be welcomed into the EU in a heartbeat.

Assuming they completely changed their food and product regulations and adapted everything from agricultural and animal husbandry to building codes to match the EU overnight.

Otherwise it's more of a decades long process.

Even CETA is still not ratified because Canadian ranchers and farmers still insist on using growth hormones and have trouble dealing with European GMO tracking and labelling.

[–] Snowstorm@lemmy.ca 16 points 2 weeks ago

Yet as a Canadian I will welcome agricultural rules harmonization with EU. Give a five year frame to reach 70 % and 10 years to reach above 95 %. Present the thing to Canadian as a matter of sovereignty while reminding our farmers that the current buy Canadian frenzy is a net positive for them if they see it under the “opportunity” light.

Invite Canada as an “observer” at the EU table for as long as these discussions are successful, it will mess with Trump gang.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Most of Canada's beef cattle come from Alberta so passing CETA should soon be a breeze -- just let Alberta know that their market will only be Canada (if they use growth hormone) or the world (if they don't).

If they're smart they'll choose right.

[–] Sturgist@lemmy.ca 15 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Alberta

Cattle

If they're smart

Hmmmmmmmmmm

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Yeah, even-handed pragmatism is not really the vibe with cattle farmers here.

Good thing it's an Ottawa decision.

[–] Routhinator@startrek.website 4 points 2 weeks ago

Those ranchers and farmers might change their tune pretty quick if their ability to sell product hinges on it.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Yeah, there's reason to think they'd accept Canada, and they definitely could, but it's not like an on-switch thing.

Gaining membership is basically the last step in a long series of reforms which we could be doing either way.

[–] NoIdiots@lemmy.cafe -1 points 1 week ago

Yo bitch, did you move to ukraine yet?

You fucking colonist want us european to bleed for your war, dont ya? Fuck you.

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Uncontested and ungaurded as well.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The liquor bottles and flags make good sentries.

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

We actually cleaned up after ourselves on Hans Island.

Bottles and flags were taken back to the ship. There was a flag pole and a box to put the bottle in

The CO got to add the bottle to his collection and the flag was turned over to command when we got home IIRC.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

His collection? Bah. He should've shared it! ;)

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago

Naval tradition gifts a lot of bottles between ships. The CO was the recipient, though if you had a decent one, they would share some of their stash during certain events. Mostly it was a diplomatic things with foreign dignitaries.

[–] moonbunny@sh.itjust.works 19 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Canada joining the EU would be great, assuming we don’t end up with lil pp in the next election.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Can you imagine him bargaining with the EU? Ugh.

[–] moonbunny@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 weeks ago

It’s way more likely that he’d roll out the welcome mat for the states instead

[–] imvii@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Maybe that's what the EU is waiting for? The EU loves Trudeau and he does well as a diplomat. I think it's one of his stronger points.

If Trudeau has no exit date, we'd probably be closer to getting invited in. But who knows if Canada is going to be stupid like the USA? If we end up with PP, then do we really deserve to be in the EU? Probably not at this time.

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 weeks ago

Trudeau's exit date is supposedly when the LPC elects a new leader. The election is supposedly going to be called once Parliament gets back.

[–] thisorthatorwhatever@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Canada should nationalize the railroads.

Nationalize all mines, and mining.

We should build a nation car, a basic 4-cycliner car with AWD capabilities, plug-in-hybrd, regenerative braking, easy to repair with parts always available. Make all the software code and hardware schematics free. Have it as one of our military vehicles for basic transport, make it so that all cab companies have to use it, all Uber drivers, delivery drivers, that's the only car municipalities get to buy for staff, only car Provinces get to buy for staff.

[–] Franklin@lemmy.ca 16 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

can we nationalize our internet service providers while we're at it

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

See, now there's an actual good idea. That shit's like the road system.

You have to pay the current shareholders for it all, though, unless you think Canada can go it totally alone and hated.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

We should build a nation car, a basic 4-cycliner car with AWD capabilities, plug-in-hybrd, regenerative braking, easy to repair with parts always available

That last one is pretty difficult to square with the rest.

Have it as one of our military vehicles for basic transport, make it so that all cab companies have to use it, all Uber drivers, delivery drivers, that’s the only car municipalities get to buy for staff, only car Provinces get to buy for staff.

Is it wheelchair accessible too? If so, how much weight and cost does that add? One could keep going.

This is why economics by political proclamation either turns into 700-page documents or fails dramatically.

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 weeks ago

Problem with the vehicle is that certain government departments need something other than a sedan.

[–] Krik@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (3 children)

What problem(s) does this nationalization and the 'people's car' solve?

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Nationalization would improve services. The people's car solves fuck all, and would be a maintenance nightmare.

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago

How is it a maintenance nightmare?

Too much of the economy is based around the auto industry, too many social and environmental issues are based around everything structured around cars.

i. Governments throw lots of money toward the car industry, tax cuts for the factories, subsidized wages for the workers.
ii. Owing a car is now becoming more expensive, and you need a new one every 15 years as they don't last long. iii.Car speeds and horse power have now crept up to crazy levels. Beyond any reason of what people need. iv. Car companies are not focused on what people want, safety, instead they keep putting more horse power into cars. v. Massive environmental costs in terms of pollution and sprawl. vi. Oil companies are killing the planet and causing wars.

Almost everything when we talk of the 'real' economy, we mean car factories and oil wells.

[–] Routhinator@startrek.website 1 points 2 weeks ago

Economic resilience, removes foreign control from our key resource companies, creates jobs in country to remove American jobs we'll be losing enmasse

[–] RamblingPanda@lemmynsfw.com 14 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Y'all just want to compete in the Eurovision song contest...

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

My god, yes, please. It's in the middle of the afternoon here too so you can still get to bed on time.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)
[–] epicstove@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Isn't Australia in Eurovision? Don't look like being European is a requirement.

[–] RamblingPanda@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 2 weeks ago

I think they are, at least sometimes. I'm not really watching that, and I never understood why they're included. But I like them, Aussies are welcome, as are Canadians.

[–] thatonecoder@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

As a Portuguese natural born citizen, I support this! Although some regulations would have to be changed, in order to have parity with the rest of the EU.

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That would most likely be an improvement.

[–] BlackLaZoR@fedia.io 5 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

If Canada Wants a Plan B for Trade, Europe Could Be the Answer

Well, there's that little issue of Atlantic Ocean in between

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Are you unaware of cargo ships and the east coast of Canada?

Sure, some of perishables would be an issue. How do you think we trade with anyone other than the states and Mexico?

[–] BlackLaZoR@fedia.io 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Are you unaware of cargo ships and the east coast of Canada?

Yes I know of them. Logistics is the core issue - transport via ships costs money and time. This is why most trade happens between USA, Canada and Mexico in the first place

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Yep. This is where that permanently lost 2% or whatever of GDP comes from in the projections. We can still do it if we have to, though.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

It actually is little, as an issue.

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