A heckler was heard shouting ‘USA, USA’ as Canadian prime minister Mark Carney today reaffirmed his commitment to aligning with the EU against Donald Trump’s wishes.
In an address to the European parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Carney declared that his country and Europe ‘were stronger together’ and are not ‘fair-weather allies’.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen yesterday backed proposals for Canada to become the bloc’s first ‘associate member’, which would build on the trade agreement already in place between the two.
But as Mr Carney walked up to the podium, he was met with shouts of ‘USA, USA,’ from an audience member, with the PM chuckling in response.
Mr Trump has said Canada becoming an ‘associate member’ of the EU would be a ‘hostile act’ and threatened to impose ‘very serious tariffs’ or to ‘stop trading with Europe on many things’.
He added of the proposed partnership: ‘If it’s a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe.’
But Mr Carney did not rise to the US President’s threats, insisting that Canadian prosperity would be beneficial for Washington.
He said: ‘This alliance is a positive process, that’s my response to the American president.
Video captured the moment a heckler shouted ‘USA! USA!’ as Canadian prime minister Mark Carney prepared to deliver his speech to the European parliament in Strasbourg
Mark Carney laughed after a heckler in the audience shouted ‘USA, USA’
Speaking on Wednesday from Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump threatened to respond to the proposed move by imposing more tariffs on the bloc
‘A stronger, more resilient, more sovereign Canada would be a more effective partner with the United States – the same would go for the European Union.’
In a veiled reference to Mr Trump, the Canadian PM added that economic integration was being ‘weaponised’ within politics and tariffs were being used to ‘exert pressure’.
Mr Carney used his speech to highlight the shared principles between Canada and the EU.
He said: ‘We are not fair-weather allies. We do not pursue zero-sum deals. We hold common values for which we have always fought, and in whose defence we must always remain vigilant.
‘Canada and Europe are each strong. Europe and Canada are stronger together.’
Speaking in Charlotte, North Carolina, yesterday, Mr Trump called the prospect of Canada aligning with the EU ‘laughable’ and branded Ottawa as a ‘terrible trade partner’.
Mr Carney said he was proposing for deeper integration between Canada and the bloc across trade, defence, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, space, research and financial services .
He added that this would make both less vulnerable to economic and geopolitical pressure.
‘I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival – only with better manners,’ the Canadian leader said. ‘We do not seek power to dominate others.’
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney poses for a picture with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola
Mr Carney said his goal is to build Canada’s resilience so that no country can control its markets, undermine its sovereignty or dictate its choices.
‘Canadians are united that nobody is going to tell us what language we speak, no one is going to dictate our culture, or with whom we can strike agreements internationally,’ he added.
For generations, Canada built its economy around integration with the United States.
But American tariffs, demands for economic concessions and threats of making Canada the 51st US state are now driving Ottawa to reduce its dependence on Washington and strengthen ties with Europe.
Ms Von der Leyen proposed making Canada the EU’s first associate member – a status that does not currently exist in the bloc’s treaties and would have to be created.
She said Europe wants to take its relationship with Canada to ‘the highest level possible’.
Mr Carney, sitting in the front row of the European Parliament chamber, nodded and rose to embrace von der Leyen as lawmakers gave the proposal a standing ovation.
Ms Von der Leyen said Canada and the EU should move beyond their existing free trade agreement and create an ‘alliance for the future’, encompassing a ‘common prosperity and economic security space’.
Mr Carney will host EU leaders for a summit in Montreal from October 29 to 30, where the two sides are expected to discuss the proposed new relationship in more detail.
Canada sends roughly 70 per cent of its exports to the United States, making it highly exposed to Trump’s tariffs.
Ottawa has retaliated and rejected demands that Mr Carney has said are a threat to Canadian sovereignty.
Europe took a different path, shelving retaliation and accepting tariffs of up to 15 per cent on most EU exports to the US.
Mr Carney has repeatedly urged middle powers to resist that kind of economic coercion.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, he warned that when countries negotiate alone with a dominant power, ‘we negotiate from weakness. We accept what is offered’.
Mr Trump rebuked him the next day, and today’s speech could further strain the relationship.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s ambassador-designate to the EU, said yesterday that Canada is not seeking full EU membership because that would require surrendering some sovereignty.
Instead, Ottawa wants ‘to get as close as we possibly can’ to Europe while increasing Canada’s independence.
Exactly what associate membership would mean remains to be negotiated.
Canada has already taken a major step toward European integration. This year it became the first non-European country to join the EU’s €150billion (£129billion) SAFE defence procurement program.
This gives Canadian companies access to joint procurement as Europe increases defence spending.
The two sides have also discussed closer cooperation on energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and digital trade.
