Join Fair Observer’s Editor-at-Large, Ranjani Iyer Mohanty, as she discusses Canada’s role on the global stage with former Canadian Diplomat David McKinnon.

Recently, President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU would consider making Canada an associate member of the EU. While Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, agreed to developing the relationship between the EU and Canada, both parties agreed that a framework still needs to be built. There’s genuine objectives on both sides, McKinnon says, but the relationship is not yet defined.

Mohanty and McKinnon explore what a Canada–EU partnership might look like beyond the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) already in place. A deep Canada–EU partnership would be for increased economic and political security. Perhaps most importantly, it would send a message that the EU and Canada are mitigating their overreliance on the US.

McKinnon states that before Canada and the EU further develop this partnership, Canada should consider their wider global interests. A relationship with the EU should be rooted in reality so that Canada may still retain its sovereignty. In addition, McKinnon says, Canada should be looking for other global relationships beyond the EU.

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