Trump warned he will impose additional tariffs on the European Union and Canada if they band together to “do economic harm” against the United States.
Get @#$%ed, Trump. Good read. Short but detailed about how partnered we are already and what our next priorities should be
high level figures in the EU have repeatedly stated that while they appreciate the gesture, Canada wont ever be a member. So its best to abandon those pipe dreams. When it comes down to the details, the EU is a boys club for Western and Central Europe, they dont even treat their Eastern members as anything more than a buffer zone against the Russians,
the EU isnt flawless either, Russia has infiltrated it with trojan horse governments like the Hungarian Fidesz party and the Slovakian SMER party, who embezzle EU funds and politically roadblock motions with their veto. Canada trying to decouple with the US just to dive into the EU is like running from a burning house into a house with a basement meth lab.
Who? I haven’t heard anything so definitive.
Lol, no. The east gets tons and tons of subsidies. It’s the whole reason Orban still wants to be in the EU.
You’ll also notice new eastern countries are lining up to join while euroskepticism has made headway in your “boy’s club” countries.
Definitely true. The difference is that the US is terminal in a 1933 Germany way, while the EU seems like it might have a bright future.
(“We are honored with the results of such a poll. It shows the attractiveness of the European Union, and it shows the appreciation of a very large share of Canadian citizens for the EU and its values,” said Paula Pinho, spokesperson for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, at the Commission’s Wednesday briefing, before adding that she “will not go into” a possible EU application from Ottawa.")
Polish farmers blocking NATO weapon shipments and railways to a critical combat theatre over a dispute with European markets and Ukrainian Grain, Hungarian vetos blocking EU financial packages to Ukraine, Ukraine has very much become a litmus test for countless issues worldwide, everything from testing the strength of alliances and unions, to testing the rationality and morality of individual people. and the EU has been taking one step forward one step back for much of it, It took them until the US basically took a turn into a terminal illness of fascism, for the major power players, namely France and Germany, to step forward and acknowledge that there can’t be anymoe of this sitting on hands they played for the last 3-5 years as our world swirls the toilet bowl
in short, Yes, those eastern countries get subsidies, but its increasingly being seen as a bribe from one side to the other to keep them on the blue team. while hostile actors like the states with the parties I mentioned, just pocket the money while playing interference for the Russian mob state.___
Thanks. I’d say “will not go into” is decidedly neutral, though. Which isn’t surprising, there’s no point starting a big controversy when nothing is actually on the table yet.
let me give you a counter argument as a german citizen:
The EU is still a union of a multitude of countries, all pretty different in their approach on geopolitics, economy and security. But we are a union that has brought peace for the longest time Europe ever had uninterupted. We aren’t totally homogenous when it comes to values, but we align each other pretty well. Hungary, Slovakia, at times Poland (although since 2020 their rhetoric has been largely overlooked) are doing their best blocking progress, but they aren’t really in a position to do so for much longer. Among european unionists and federalists there has also been talk about a multi-level EU model, where you don’t have to 100% commit to EU regulations and laws, and still enjoy the benefit of the european singlemarket, possibly Schengen-Access, or at least visa free.
So, never say never ;)
as others in this same thread have said.
Canada even in its crisis mode facing the prospect of a hostile America, with its whole Canada First, Elbows up rhetoric, is still -extremely- “americanized”. Our ideas of Liberalism and Conservatism are very right wing compared to Europe, much like how the US republicans and democrats are both right wing compared to say, a German or French parliament.
it would take a very long time and a lot of pain and suffering in Canada to move away from the status quo. The NDP are the closest thing to a left wing party in this country and politically, they’re on track to be absolutely eviscerated and effectively dismantled as a party in our election.
I “grew up” with people online since I was a teenager, I’ve visited Europe, I had close friends fromthe UK, Germany Poland and France, I’ve had relationships with people from Ukraine and a Portuguese born UK, I understand the European values and customs… the thing is, people like me are a minority even in Canada. Canadians have grown accustomed to a hybrid system thats kind of like Europe and Kind of like America, and they dont want to fully switch to one team or the other.
The problem is, that hybrid system is no longer tenable. and people are going to kick and scream for as long as possible before they realize they have to draw a line in the sand and choose a side.
Sounds like you don’t follow contemporary EU politics too closely, even if you’ve spent time there in the past.
The last time I set foot in Europe was in 2010, so it might as well have been a lifetime ago. the world as a whole of 2010 is completely alien compared to 2025
The far right is a major power bloc over there now, and centrist parties have become openly anti-immigrant and nativist in response. Canada’s way ahead of Europe on tolerance at this point. Even in 2010 Merkel, for example, was plenty fiscally conservative, while Trudeau was elected later and expanded our own spending. There’s other nations that are more interventionist, but Canada wouldn’t be unusual. The far right is also anti-climate action, so we wouldn’t be worst in class on that, although probably below average.