Canada increasingly looks to Europe, weary of pressure from Washington

Canada is turning its attention toward Europe more and more, driven largely by fatigue with constant talk from Washington about the country becoming the 51st U.S. state. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently announced that the EU will begin talks with Canada on associate member status.

By total area, including maritime territory, Canada is the world's second-largest country, ahead of both China and the United States, though most of its more than 41 million residents live in a narrow strip near the U.S. border, concentrated in Ontario and Quebec. The country is rich in natural resources, including oil reserves twice the size of Russia's, along with metal ores and natural gas.

A historical parallel with Estonia

Estonia itself once had an association agreement with the EU, which took effect in 1998, six years before it became a full member. The new agreement with Canada is likely to follow a similar spirit, though its exact terms remain unknown. Visa-free travel between the EU and Canada already exists, so the deal is more likely to ease work and study opportunities across the Atlantic.

It's worth noting that a broad trade agreement between the EU and Canada, CETA, already eliminates 99% of customs duties, though several EU member states have yet to ratify it after a decade.

A poll conducted in early September by Abacus Data found that 80% of Canadians support deepening strategic cooperation with the EU in foreign policy, defense and economy, while 81% favor closer integration even if Canada remains outside the EU. Surprisingly, 49% of respondents said they would support full EU membership, against 30% opposed. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was recently given an enthusiastic reception in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.