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Here is the link to a poll from last year: Canadians rank the European Union (EU) as Canada’s second most important economic partner behind the US (43% in favor of EU), followed by the UK (40%), Mexico (33%), and China (27%).

Aside from the obvious fact that Canada’s only physical border with the EU is the 1.2 kilometre one on Greenland’s tiny Hans Island in the Nares Strait, Canada maintains an open trade regime and could, from a technical standpoint, transition relatively smoothly into the EU’s tariff-free internal market.

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Canada-EU Security and Defence Partnership signed last June in Brussels, and the participation of Canada in the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) procurement program secured in December, attest to both trade synergies and the confluence of interests more broadly.

Canada is a resource-rich country with a sophisticated, diversified economy, comparable to Europe in terms of innovation, market size, and human capital. It ranks ahead of many EU states in higher education quality, corporate research and development spending, patent registrations, and the diffusion of advanced technologies —from broadband infrastructure to digital services.

In short, Canada already behaves like a de facto member of the club in all but name.

Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union limits eligibility for EU membership to “any European State” that respects and commits to the Union’s core values. That geographic requirement, however, is not immutable: the Treaty can be amended under Article 48, through unanimous agreement of all Member States and ratification in accordance with their constitutional procedures.

Canada’s membership would immediately expand the EU’s global footprint and underscore its identity as a values-based institutional order rather than a regional bloc.

  • acargitz@lemmy.ca
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    7 days ago

    We don’t need the Euro and we don’t need the European Stability and Growth Pact. Both are hazardous straightjakets that we really don’t have a need for.

    We can and should be friends but we don’t need to join.

  • AGM@lemmy.ca
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    9 days ago

    No need for Canada to join the EU. The EU makes sense as a union of countries with shared or overlapping geography and interests. Canada is not in Europe. We are a Pacific country in addition to being an Atlantic country. 70% of our non-US trade flows through Vancouver to and from Pacific nations. Canada is better served by retaining sovereignty to negotiate trade independently to make the most of working with Europe on one side and Pacific nations on the other. Being one voice from North America among a chorus of voices from another continent in regulatory decision-making to govern all is not a good idea.

    Carney has been advocating for variable geometry as Canada’s method ro go forward and has only seen his support from Canadians go up in this time. Joining the EU is not variable geometry. Trade, cooperation and alignment on many issues where there is compatibility is good enough.

    • Avid Amoeba@lemmy.ca
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      9 days ago

      Also we already have a trade agreement with the EU and visa-free travel, if I remember correctly. I wouldn’t mind being a part of the EU but there are pros and cons to it and we’ve already secured many of the pros.

  • twopi@lemmy.ca
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    9 days ago

    Lol. this guy is trying to move attention away from Carney’s recent trade negotiations and deals by bringing up polling from last year.

    I agree that Canada should be closer to Europe.

    However, you should know that OP @[email protected] made this post and a series of cross posts in a vain attemp at countering recent growing sentiment in favour of increasing trade with China.

    They had to use a poll from last year before the March 4 US tariffs and misinterpret it on purpose (international diplomatic policy vs economic trade policy) to support their position.

    It is still possible to be a part of the EU and increase trade with China, this two things are not mutually exclusive.

    OP’s post attempting to spread fear and resentment against the just announced trade deal PM Carney made with China this past week:

    https://vger.to/scribe.disroot.org/post/6851263

    The thread prompting them to make the post:

    https://vger.to/scribe.disroot.org/comment/9107397

    Poll from this year showing recent majority support for increasing trade with China (including EVs):

    https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/slim-majority-canadians-54-support-stronger-trade-ties-china

    OMG, it seems like people can have multiple different opinions and have different complex relationships with different countries.

    To @[email protected] :

    Safe bet, eh? Where’s my money.

    Thank you @[email protected] for the link to the ipsos poll.

  • Smaile@lemmy.ca
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    9 days ago

    Most of us are morally aligned with the EU already, we should tie ourselves to a more stable trading block (or soon to be federation) then the one we used to have.

  • GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca
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    7 days ago

    Putting aside all the other reasons this would be a bad idea, I would at least have to see some concrete measures from European governments to slip out from under Washington’s thumb. As it is, they’re clamoring to remain America’s lapdogs as they were before

  • RoquetteQueen@sh.itjust.works
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    9 days ago

    From a purely selfish point, as a dual citizen, I’d love my friends and family to be EU citizens, too. I just don’t see this happening.