this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2025
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Interest in Canada joining the EU has increased amid US tensions, with 44% of Canadians supporting the idea. While the EU acknowledges shared values, Canada's geographic distance and historical precedent present challenges for membership.

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[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 2 points 27 minutes ago

Yes and Australia too

[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 1 points 13 minutes ago* (last edited 12 minutes ago)

I would fully welcome the Canadians and Canadiens into the EU. It means St. Pierre and Miquelon would not have a border anymore. Win win!!!

[–] naeap@sopuli.xyz 14 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Holy fuck, yes!!

Canada, come join us!

And Greenland should get to be a sovereign state as part of the EU as well - if they want to

That would be just fucking awesome all around! :⁠-⁠D

[–] CAVOK@lemmy.world 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Well, Greenland was an EU member, but they left. Can't remember when, but it was before brexit, so the UK wasn't the only, or even the first, to leave. Possibly the last though, as the appetite for leaving seems to have dropped significantly.

[–] naeap@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 hour ago

As the current world situation looks very different, I think the EU is a much more attractive option - at least I hope so

[–] Krik@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

Not sure if that could work. It's also a question about culture and values.
And sorry to say this dear Canadians: You are at least partly americanized.

[–] sloppychops@lemmy.ca 1 points 55 minutes ago

America is basically just a Europe expansion pack.

[–] Phil_in_here@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 hour ago

Please elaborate

[–] e8d79@discuss.tchncs.de 14 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

I think full membership is very unlikely, but maybe Canada can join the EU Customs Union or even the Schengen Area at some point in the future.

[–] Hotznplotzn@lemmy.sdf.org 53 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

If someone had told me ten years ago that in 2025 the UK would have long left the EU and we were talking about a membership of Canada, I would have declared them bewildered. LOL.

[–] NotLemming@lemm.ee 3 points 1 hour ago

I think the UK will have to rejoin now. We're too vulnerable.

[–] Jimius@lemmy.ml 30 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

The EU is not a geographical union despite it's name. Even then, Canada and Europe share a common border; the Atlantic Ocean. Also it's part of the Commonwealth, Has a strong economy, social politics, The Greco-Roman and Judaeo-Christian tradition. And they speak the two most common European languages. Canada makes more sense than TΓΌrkiye if you disregard distance.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 24 points 5 hours ago (3 children)

Even then, Canada and Europe share a common border; the Atlantic Ocean.

  • land border with Denmark
  • sea border with France.

If the UK can join the EU, then Canada can join the EU.

[–] NotLemming@lemm.ee 1 points 1 hour ago

Also sea border with Ireland

[–] CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world 7 points 3 hours ago

I mean the UK is geographically European no matter how much a certain segment of the population likes to think otherwise.

[–] zqwzzle@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 hours ago

Saint Pierre and Miquelon is right off the coast of Newfoundland.

Yeah, all for it.

We can thank Stephen Harper and Pierre Polievre for ignoring Europe for so long when we should have been there for you guys, helping you separate from Putin's oil and gas.

Hopefully Carney will remedy that situation, and we can all get rid of the despotic sycophants.

[–] TheFeatureCreature@lemmy.ca 20 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

I can't imagine Canada joining like a normal EU member country would. But I do hope Canada enters into special cooperation and trade agreements if possible.

[–] Hubi@feddit.org 19 points 5 hours ago (1 children)
[–] jaxxed@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

I believe that it has been violated recently, so is no longer strictly valid.

[–] sloppychops@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 hour ago

Violated?

As far as I understand, the vast majority of the agreement is already fully in effect, with a few loose ends still tied up in EU member states' legislatures.

Canadian businesses have just never really had a good reason to take advantage of the new trade rules until recently. Canadians might start noticing an increase in EU products range and availability over the next while.

Technically, it is not a done deal, but practically speaking, it is. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[–] Maalus@lemmy.world 6 points 5 hours ago

CETA has been around for ages. Now if only taxes weren't applied on imported goods, we'd be set.

[–] aleq@lemmy.world 9 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (5 children)

I can't imagine it and my gut feeling is that it's a terrible idea for the same reason as having the US be our military was a terrible idea. Geolocation matters, and Canadas location means it has interests that are fundamentally different from the EU. A major thing is that it doesn't have Russia breathing down its neck.

It also feels like a slippery slope where we'll eventually have Mexico and, god forbid, the US joining as well. Then suddenly the will of European countries is overshadowed by these North American giants.

That said, Canada is cool and joining forces against the US is good.

[–] sloppychops@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 hour ago

Canada very much has Russia breathing down its neck.

Look at a globe focused on the North Pole, and you will see that Russia, Canada, and Scandanavia all basically form a ring framing the Arctic ocean. Russia asserting itself in the Arctic is a major issue for us, and the situation could very well deteriorate as climate change intensifies.

[–] zaphod@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 hours ago

We could just start a new european union and replace the UN with the old EU.

[–] jaxxed@lemmy.ml 8 points 4 hours ago

If you are trying to say that Canada doesn't have Russia breathing down its neck, then you are wrong. Tensions over the Arctic have been high for years.

[–] Arghblarg@lemmy.ca 8 points 4 hours ago

We're only one border removed via Alaska (which might as well be Russia if things keep going this way). And with the arctic ice melting, Russian warships & subs could directly threaten our north and west coasts.

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 3 points 4 hours ago

Canada isn't really a giant in any sense of the word. I mean it is one of the world's top economies, but so are Britain, France and Germany. Mexico is economically even smaller. The US should absolutely not be allowed to join, though, yeah.

[–] miss_demeanour@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 6 hours ago (3 children)

Canada actually shares a land border with the EU.
There are so many regulatory hurdles, especially in farming and agriculture.

[–] Jimius@lemmy.ml 7 points 5 hours ago

While technically correct. I don't think the existence of Hans Island, an uninhabited speck between Greenland and Canada really counts as a land border between the EU and Canada. Any trade would happen by ship or plane directly between the continents. Not a border corssing on Hans Island.

Although, if EU rules require some kind of land border... Hans Island might be important after all.

[–] HowRu68@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago

And Canada has its own hurdles within its own regions to overcome too.
Not sure how that works, but it's their federation system or something.

[–] Disgruntled@lemmy.ca 4 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

Can’t we use our close proximity to Saint Pierre and Miquelon as a foot in the door?

[–] zaphod@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 hours ago

Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon is not part of the EU.

[–] cygnus@lemmy.ca 4 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

Can't wait for Brazil to join the EU on that basis.

[–] sloppychops@lemmy.ca 1 points 58 minutes ago

Aren't some parts of Outre-Mer France part of the EU, despite being located in the Carribean and South America?

[–] Disgruntled@lemmy.ca 3 points 5 hours ago (1 children)
[–] jabathekek@sopuli.xyz 5 points 4 hours ago

"Wait, it's all the European Union?"

[–] latenightnoir@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago

YES!!! DO IT!!!