Addressing the plenary, Carney said the relationship between Canada and Europe rests on shared choice rather than proximity. "Canada and Europe are not bound by geographic ties, we are bound by an elective affinity, chosen, renewed and, precisely for this reason, even stronger," he said, adding: "Canada and Europe together are stronger."
Carney directed part of his message at the president of the United States, arguing that closer Canadian-European ties would not come at Washington's expense. "A stronger, more resilient Canada is a more effective partner also for the US, and the same goes for the EU," he said. He added that the partnership process "will strengthen Canada's sovereignty," and that "Canadians are already united. No one imposes their language on them, or imposes restrictions on culture or partnerships."
The remarks came after US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs with Europe if the partnership process is completed.
Carney rejected the idea that he was building a rival power center. "I am not proposing a third bloc — with the goal of becoming a great rival power — only with more polite manners," he said. "We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we pursue resilience so that no one can control our open markets, our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, our democracies. These motivations, combined with our strong latent power, allow us to contribute to creating the next just, stable and prosperous world order. A Canada-EU alliance would be a beacon for other democracies."
The Canadian premier said Ottawa appreciates the ambition of becoming the EU's first associated member, and that surveys show a majority of Canadians would favor deeper ties. He outlined areas for closer cooperation: guaranteeing strategic independence through very close cooperation in every sector, deepening ties between the two peoples, moving toward digital trade between them, Canadian membership in Erasmus Plus to give students on both sides greater opportunities, and participation in the next generation of Horizon to cooperate on advanced technologies and to link research institutes.
Before his speech, the European Parliament welcomed Carney like a star. Introduced by President Roberta Metsola, he was applauded by many lawmakers, while others approached the prime minister to shake his hand or ask for a selfie. Among the first to greet him were Socialist president Iratxe Garcia Perez and Greens co-president Terry Reintke, who wore a Canada hockey team sweatshirt bearing the number nine of Simon Crosby.
Metsola framed the moment as a milestone. "With the weight of history, we look to the future together. Yesterday's announcement on closer cooperation between the EU and Canada is a positive step, a milestone," she said while introducing Carney. In a press conference, she added that "Canada is an ally, a partner that shares our values. Ours is an alliance based on deep trust. A deepening of our relations has also brought our thinking, our approach closer."