“Europe needs space and resources, Canada needs people. Let’s agree”, – with such a leader-paragraph authoritative publication The Economist published an article calling for Canada to join the European Union. This idea was also voiced by other well-known publications – Toronto Star, National Post, CBC, who put forward the idea of Canada’s membership in the European Union. Against the background of the sharp deterioration of relations between the USA and the countries of the maple leaf, thoughts about the EU do not look like something completely cloudy. The authoritative Canadian sociological and analytical company Abacus Data conducted a survey and found out that Canadians have a positive attitude towards the EU – 69%. And 44% of the residents of the maple country are in favor of joining the European Union.
Trump is breaking established views on partnership
With Trump back in the White House, two regions have thought deeply about their relationship with the US and potential, more productive alliances – Europe and Canada.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
Changes are already visible on the periphery of the European Union, with Switzerland agreeing to work more closely with the EU, Iceland planning to hold a referendum on membership in 2027, and even Greenland, which left the EU in 1985 after gaining autonomy from Denmark, may consider returning.
However, the greatest risks are likely to be faced by Canada. Since his inauguration, Trump has teased his neighbors by hinting that Canada could become the “51st state of the United States” and referring to then-prime minister Justin Trudeau as “the governor.” In response, Canadian and European officials began discussing how best to confront the potential economic and diplomatic challenges of the new reality.
The author of the article is The Economist half-jokingly suggests that Canada find salvation in joining the EU as the 28th member state. The idea sounds provocative, but reflects real anxieties about future relations with America in the era of Trump’s second presidency.
What does sociology say about Canada’s relationship with the United States?
Company Abacus Data asked Canadians to rate which country or union is their country’s most important international partner. As expected, the United States took the top spot, with a total of 55% of respondents giving it their first or second priority. The European Union is in second place (43%), and Great Britain is third (40%).
Interestingly, 46% of Canadians consider the US to be their undisputed number 1 partner – significantly more than any other country (for comparison, the EU received 20% and Britain only 14%). However, at the same time, 27% of respondents ranked the USA in last place (5th) among international partners – only China (28%) has a worse indicator. By comparison, the EU was in last place only 11% of the time.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
The results of the poll show that the attitude towards the US among Canadians is the most polarized: some see it as a vital ally, while others see it as an almost unwanted partner. No other country or organization evokes such conflicting views in Canadian society.
In addition, data on Canada’s international partnerships and Canadians’ general impressions of other countries show quite a contrast.
Although the US remains a key strategic partner, it is the most controversial. Only 34% of Canadians have a positive view of the United States, while 60% have a negative view of it – even more than China (58%). Such statistics explain why the US is also one of the leaders among the countries that Canadians consider to be the least important partners (27%).
On the other hand, the United Kingdom, which 72% of Canadians perceive positively, and the European Union, with 68% approval ratings, also rank highly as important partners (40% and 43%, respectively). However, the EU has a certain communication barrier – 17% of Canadians admitted that they do not know enough about it to express their own opinions and judgments.
Thus, while the US remains Canada’s closest partner, its public perception is controversial. At the same time, Europe, having a more positive image, can become an even more important ally, especially in the conditions of possible strengthening of US isolationism under the leadership of Donald Trump.
How does the European Union react to the sentiments of Canadians?
In the European Union, the results of the survey of Canadians, which indicate an increase in sympathy for the EU, were praised. European Commission representative Paula Pinho, spokeswoman for President Ursula von der Leyen, emphasized, that such results demonstrate the attractiveness of the European Union and high support for its values among Canadian citizens. At the same time, she avoided commenting on Canada’s hypothetical application to join the EU.
Subsequently, answering questions from journalists, Pinho clarified that Article 49 of the Treaty on the European Union provides for the possibility of membership only for European countries, effectively excluding Canada from this process.
At the same time, against the background of recent challenges, Ottawa is strengthening cooperation with Brussels, especially in the trade sphere. During a meeting with G7 leaders in Charlevoix, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly emphasized that coordination with Europe regarding American tariffs is one of the key priorities.
“At every meeting, I will raise the issue of tariffs to align our response with the Europeans and increase pressure on the United States“, – said Jolie.
Canada is among Ukraine’s closest allies
At the same time, Canada takes an active part in the formation of the so-called “coalition of the willing” — a group of states that strive to support Ukraine in its resistance to Russian aggression and to ensure long-term security in the region. This initiative is led by the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Keir Starmer, and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.
On March 15, Starmer held an online meeting with about 25 world leaders, including representatives of the EU, NATO, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, to discuss ways to support Ukraine. Thereafter was announced on the transition of the initiative to the “operational phase”, which involves specific steps to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the country’s readiness to consider the participation of the Canadian military in a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine after the end of the war. He emphasized, that it is important for Canada to be with allies when discussing Ukraine’s defense capabilities and that “everything is on the table” regarding potential participation in peacekeeping efforts.
Thus, Canada is actively involved in international efforts to support Ukraine, cooperating with other countries to ensure its security and territorial integrity.
