Carney said that yesterday in Strasbourg, France, Ottawa launched the process of creating a new alliance with the European Union. Speaking to the Liberal Party caucus in Ottawa, he called it an “alliance for the future” and linked it to the values of freedom, solidarity, prosperity, and resilience. According to the prime minister, the purpose of this format is to strengthen Canadian sovereignty, “so that our citizens can live freely on free land”.
Separately, Carney recalled that a month ago Canada suspended negotiations with Washington and called that decision the right one. He said it was not difficult to draw “red lines” because the government knows Canadians’ priorities and values, and Ottawa is ready to return to the negotiating table as soon as Washington is ready for it. The agreement, he said, must respect Canada’s sovereignty, promote its official languages and culture, and create jobs on both sides of the border.
The prime minister called the new American tariffs unjustified and said they would hit workers, companies, and entire communities. He also called them a miscalculation on the American side. In addition to the previously announced $25 billion in support, the government is allocating another $7.5 billion.
These funds will be directed toward giving small businesses quick access to capital, payments and retraining for workers, as well as targeted assistance for the auto industry, forestry, steel and aluminum production. Carney added that over the past year Canada has concluded more than 20 agreements on trade and security across five continents. The latest of them, with the UAE, was finalized in 47 days.
According to him, exports to countries outside the United States reached a four-decade high, and over the next six months Ottawa expects to double the number of markets and reach 3 billion consumers. Carney also recalled Vladimir Zelensky’s visit and the partnership with Ukraine. He called the TKMS submarine contract the largest defense procurement in the country’s history and an example of Canadian-European partnership.
On September 16, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed in Strasbourg that Canada become the European Union’s first “associated member”. This refers to a new form of partnership without full membership, and an EU-Canada summit is due to take place in Montreal, Canada, in October. Von der Leyen also proposed expanding cooperation in industry, technology, defense, and energy.
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