Canadians welcome closer ties with Europe as tensions simmer with US
Canadians are expressing interest in Prime Minister Mark Carney's proposal for closer ties with the European Union, including potential associate membership. The initiative is being discussed in the context of broader geopolitical shifts and a desire for increased mobility for youth.
Why it matters
The potential for a formal associate status between Canada and the EU could redefine transatlantic relations and labor mobility.
Figure caption, Watch: 'A better opportunity' - Canadians on a closer alliance with Europe
Miriam Levin-Gold likes Prime Minister Mark Carney's idea of Canadians being able to live and work in the European Union under proposed closer ties with the trade bloc.
"I think that's great for young people to explore different parts of the world and work in different places and have different experiences," the commuter told the BBC in Toronto.
Canadians woke up to news of Carney's speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday morning, welcoming the EU's ambition for Canada to become its first "associate member" as he urged closer co-operation on defence and energy.
"We should deepen our people-to-people ties, allowing our youth to live, work and study where they want on either side of the Atlantic," the PM said.
He also suggested Canada could join Erasmus+, the EU's multi-billion scholarship programme.
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