Donald Trump’s extraordinary threats have angered Canadians and Europeans, and the idea of a new kind of transatlantic alliance is gaining traction

Archived version

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While [Joachim Streit, a Member of the European Parliament of Free Voters] admitted that the possibility of Canada as a full member of the EU “may be aspirational for now”, he wondered if it was an idea whose time had come.

“Canada would be a strong member,” he said. “If Canada would be a member of the EU, it would rank 4th in terms of GDP. It’s part of Nato. And 58% of (working-age) Canadians have college degrees.”

Canada also has vast energy reserves – an asset that could prove useful to the bloc, which is still struggling to wean itself off Russian gas, he added.

Since launching his campaign last month, Streit has become the most visible proponent of an unlikely proposition that has been gaining traction since Trump began floating the idea of Canada as the 51st state.

In late January, a former foreign minister of Germany, Sigmar Gabriel, called for Canada to be invited into the EU. “They are more European than some European member states anyway,” he told Germany’s Pioneer Media.

Media outlets on both sides of the Atlantic have delved into the idea, while a February poll of 1,500 Canadians found 44% of them believed Canada should look into joining the EU.

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In April, Streit submitted a written question to the European parliament, asking whether the treaty article stipulating that states must be European could be interpreted in a way that could allow for Canadian membership or, barring that, if it could be legally revised. He has yet to receive a response.

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Since launching the campaign, he’s been in constant contact with Canadians; meeting twice with one of Canada’s high-ranking envoys to the EU and meeting with a Brussels-based association that promotes Canada-EU trade.

As news spreads of his efforts, his office has received a handful of emails of support. Some have offered up their own thoughts on how to skirt around Canada’s geographic location; one recent email laid out what the writer described as a “killer argument”, pointing out that as part of the Commonwealth Canada was tied to the UK and, by extension, Europe.

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    • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      2 days ago

      This is very unfortunate Hungary, but on the bright side, I’m sure Russia would gladly absorb you on their terms, that’s what you want anyway isn’t it?

  • Stamets@lemmy.worldEnglish
    19·
    2 days ago

    A friend of mine had an interesting idea for this. We Canadians own a ton of islands. A bunch of European countries do too. What if we just… traded one or two? Ones that have nothing on them but would then geographically mean that Canada exists in Europe.

    • CosmoNova@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 day ago

      Better yet start a new kind of Union that will eventually replace the EU and hopefully leave some of the baggage behind.

    • bstix@feddit.dkEnglish
      18·
      2 days ago

      Denmark and Canada already share an empty island. The border goes right through the middle, but the treaty includes the freedom for any visitors from either side to enjoy the entire island.

    • azimir@lemmy.mlEnglish
      11·
      2 days ago

      Canada being technically in the EU geographically to become a full EU member state would be an epic “technically correct is best kind of correct” moment.

    • latenightnoir@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      121·
      2 days ago

      That would be pretty friggin’ awesome, not gonna lie.

      Canada so totally has those “Contemporary European” vibes, too (or maybe we have the Canadian vibes, either way!), would be an excellent fit imho. It’d make a lot of sense.

      • Stamets@lemmy.worldEnglish
        12·
        2 days ago

        Considering the historically close connection that Canada shares with the UK, it makes sense. The area I’m from, Newfoundland, is also even more European-feeling in certain areas because of how things have stuck in time here. Like Ireland if you looked at it and its culture through a kaleidoscope.

    • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      2 days ago

      Why not? We already have a very long border with Russia.
      But we must of course build a wall to USA, I’m sure we can get Trump to pay for it.

  • huppakee@feddit.nlEnglish
    73·
    2 days ago

    Joachim Streit has never stepped foot in Canada. But that hasn’t stopped the German politician from launching a tenacious, one-man campaign that he readily describes as “aspirational”: to have the North American country join the EU.

    “We have to strengthen the European Union,” said Streit, who last year was elected as a member of the European parliament. “And I think Canada – as its prime minister says – is the most European country outside of Europe.”

    I’m not against strong EU-Canada relation, but let’s not rally behind a politician who’s never been to Canada. Especially not a German one who launched a one-man campaign he himself describes as aspirational.

  • Miaou@jlai.luEnglish
    28·
    2 days ago

    The entire thing reads like that German was looking for an excuse to say something racist. They will never change.

    • Gsus4@mander.xyzEnglish
      5·
      2 days ago

      They are more European than some European member states anyway

      yeah 🤨

      But is this a dig at Hungary/Slovakia or is it really as racist as it sounds?

      • varyingExpertise@feddit.orgEnglish
        2·
        1 day ago

        I’d assume that’s exactly what he meant. Europe comes with a set of ideals and it seems that Canada by and large aligns with those closer than ex Soviet block countries, even after all the years.