Should Canada apply for EU membership?
Should Canada Apply for EU Membership?
In light of a dramatically shifting geopolitical landscape under the current Trump Administration—marked by threats to Canada’s international trade and sovereignty—the European Community Studies Association Canada (ECSA-C) invited experts to respond to a bold question: Should Canada apply for EU membership?
In this new series of articles, ECSA-C members engage in a critical debate sparked by Frédéric Mérand’s thought-provoking piece on Canada-Europe relations in Policy Options: https://lnkd.in/ggEhmc5h. From various perspectives, experts explore the possibilities of closer Canadian integration with Europe, examining both the challenges and potential pathways—ranging from full EU membership to alternative models inspired by Norway’s and Switzerland’s cooperative frameworks.
The latest contribution comes from Oliver Schmidtke, EUCAnet Co-lead, former ECSA-C president, and director of the Centre for Global Studies at the University of Victoria. In “Canada at the Crossroads: Reimagining Fundamental Values in an Existential Crisis,” he analyzes Canada’s widening rift with the U.S. and the urgent need to diversify its global partnerships.
As economic and security dependence on the U.S. becomes increasingly strained, the European Union emerges as a key alternative—not only as a trade partner through CETA but as a values-based ally committed to multilateralism and democracy. Yet, with nationalist movements on the rise in Europe, the stability of this partnership remains uncertain. As Canada redefines its place in the global order, strengthening EU ties may still offer a path to greater independence while upholding shared democratic principles.
Read the full article here: https://shorturl.at/lNh0g
Check out other responses here: https://lnkd.in/gf5GDGx4
Stay tuned for more! hashtagCanadaEurope hashtagEURelations hashtagGeopolitics hashtagECSAC
