Mark Carney received a standing ovation at the European Parliament after delivering a speech welcoming closer ties between the EU and Canada, and with several nods to Donald Trump.
On Thursday, Carney addressed the European Parliament the day after EU chief Ursula von der Leyen backed plans for Canada to become the trading bloc’s first “associate member.”
Carney called for an “alliance of the future” and a “deeper partnership” between Canada and 27 member states of the EU>
The Canadian prime minister said this was necessary to hedge against great powers encroaching on the sovereignty of smaller nations.
He told those in attendance: “Together, Canada and the European Union can anchor our ground to hold our values while forming a protective canopy under which our citizens can thrive.
“This is about sovereignty. Our ability to live as we wish. It is about the freedoms we must fight for every day. Sovereignty requires resilience — the ability to withstand shocks.”
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For months now, Carney has been forging a closer alliance with the EU as Canada’s relationship with the US continues to deteriorate under Donald Trump.
During his speech, Carney made a number of nods to Trump and his aggressive tactics such as his use of tariffs.
The Canadian leader said his nation and the EU are not “fair-weather allies” and “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,” he continued.
Carney drew laughs when he said he was calling for a “third bloc in order to become a great power rival, only with better manners.”
In a seeming nod to Trump and his tariffs, he continued: “We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so no one, no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, or rule of law.”
In another reference to Trump’s tariffs, Carney said societies are being “battered by new storms” including climate change, “the erosion of democratic norms [and] the weaponisation of trade”.
“Economic integration is now being weaponised, tariffs being used to exert pressure,” he said.
“Financial mechanisms have been used for coercion. Supply chains constitute weak points to be exploited.”
At the end of his speech, Carney received a standing ovation from delegates.