"Canada and the EU are bound by an elective affinity; together we are stronger," Carney told MEPs, in a speech that filled the normally quiet Thursday press conference room. Some enthusiastic Brussels voices described the project as "a sort of new Atlantic Pact."
Hours earlier, Trump had lashed out at the initiative. "I would apply very heavy tariffs on products coming from Europe. If they do this, they would only worsen the situation," he warned.
The reaction from Trump had been anticipated on both sides of the Atlantic. In her State of the Union address, Ursula von der Leyen announced the new partnership with Ottawa without ever mentioning the United States. "As the president clarified yesterday, the proposal to strengthen the partnership with Canada is not against anyone but for our common strength," a Commission spokesman replied. Carney echoed: "An alliance is a positive process. I say this also addressing the US president. A stronger Canada is a more effective partner also for the US, and the same goes for the EU." He added: "No one will tell us which language to speak or with whom we can strike international agreements."
The path to closer Brussels-Ottawa ties is expected to be rapid. "According to surveys, Canadians support the idea," said Carney, who hails from the Northwest Territories. The EU-Canada summit in Montreal on October 29-30 will mark a crucial moment in a journey that ideally began on the margins of the NATO summit in Ankara, although Carney was invited to Strasbourg by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, alongside the European Political Community meeting in Yerevan last May. Von der Leyen in her State of the Union address spoke of Canada as "the EU's first associate member." Carney, with North American pragmatism, did not fully embrace the idea. "Alliance for the future or Canada as associate member? The definition is up to Europe; Canada cannot ask to become a member of the Union. The important thing is substance," he said.
Before MEPs, who welcomed him like a star, Carney also used rhetoric. "We do not seek power to dominate others. 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," he said.
Critical materials, trade, LNG, the Arctic, Erasmus Plus, defense cooperation (Ottawa already participates in Safe): Carney dwelt at length on the menu offered by a structured alliance with the EU, recalling the starting point: the CETA treaty, provisionally in force and not yet ratified by 10 countries, including Italy. "We are not afraid of new things," Metsola quipped.
The pro-European majority and a good part of the Left largely agree. "I believe serious and reliable partners who can help us toward strategic autonomy should be involved," was the cautious opening from Giorgia Meloni. In the chamber, only one dissenting voice: German Siegbert Frank Droese of AfD shouted "USA, USA." Carney smiled nonchalantly.
Qualified sources in Brussels reflected a few days ago: if any other American president but Trump had supported Irish unity, the echo of his words would have been far more overwhelming. For von der Leyen, convincing all 27 member states of the wisdom of the marriage with Canada will not be easy, but at the Palais Berlaymont the path is now set.
Carney superstar in the chamber, between selfies and handshakes. Before his speech, the European Parliament welcomed the Canadian prime minister like a star. As he entered—introduced by President Roberta Metsola—many applauded while others approached the prime minister to shake his hand or ask for a selfie. Among the first to greet him were Socialists president Iratxe Garcia Perez and Greens co-president Terry Reintke. The latter, for the occasion, wore the Canadian hockey team sweatshirt, with the number nine of Simon Crosby, the star of one of the most beloved sports in the North American country.
Metsola: "The new EU-Canada alliance is 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," said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, introducing the Canadian prime minister. At a press conference, Metsola also stressed 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."