Canada experts urge concrete EU deal, not just symbolic titles

The gap between political rhetoric and legal reality is the central friction in Canada's current relationship with the European Union. While Prime Minister Mark Carney and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen celebrated a historic partnership at a summit in Montreal last week, European policy experts are urging Ottawa to prioritize tangible legal frameworks over ambiguous terminology.

Academics testified to the House foreign affairs committee on Monday, offering a more measured assessment of the summit's outcomes. Mark Manger, a professor at the University of Toronto, noted that many of the current agreements are merely expressions of intent. He stated that he is still waiting for a concrete announcement. Manger argued that Mexico already possesses many of the arrangements with the EU that Canada is currently seeking.

The confusion stems largely from the term 'associate member,' a concept von der Leyen introduced in September. Carney had largely avoided the phrasing, preferring the term 'alliance for the future,' until he confirmed on Thursday that associate EU membership is the goal. Achim Hurrelmann, co-director of the Centre for European Studies at Carleton University, described the phrasing as a distraction. He explained that the EU has not clearly defined what this status would mean or how it would integrate into EU law.

Hurrelmann suggested that both leaders are maintaining the buzz around the concept for symbolic attention, even if they are not fully attached to the specific legal definition. He noted that the proposals do not actually require associate membership to be realized. He compared the concept to the symbolic affirmation of moving from a common-law relationship to marriage.

Anand Sundar, a transatlantic defence adviser at the European Council on Foreign Relations, testified that Brussels is pushing for associate membership despite strong objections from countries like Germany. He called it a political game that may serve the European Commission but not certain member states. Hurrelmann warned that officials must move quickly, as rising far-right movements across Europe are skeptical of partnering with other countries.

Hurrelmann also suggested that Ottawa consider restructuring the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, known as CETA. Nine of the EU's 27 member states have not yet put the decade-old deal into full force. He pointed out that Canadians face food regulations that bar many imports, while Europeans complain about Canada's dairy quotas and protected-origin rules, such as those governing feta cheese. Manger recommended that Canada and the EU enhance the existing deal with economic and legal parameters that lock in the relationship for the long term.

Manger proposed that Ottawa allow European mobile networks to set up shop in Canada in exchange for European countries dropping restrictions on Canadian food imports. Hurrelmann added that closer ties will require cross-party collaboration, a challenge given that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre argues the government has not been clear on its European deals and that the summit was a distraction from domestic issues.