Canada wants to forge deeper trade, investment, security, data and labour ties with the European Union − but not at the expense of Canadian sovereignty.
That was the message from Ottawa ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Strasbourg, according to a senior government official with knowledge of the Canada-EU file.
Prime Minister Carney will address the European Parliament there Thursday and pitch Canada as a viable EU partner, as Ottawa attempts to reduce the country’s overwhelming dependence on the U.S. for everything from manufacturing supply chains to defence products.
Talks are still at the exploratory stages but, without sacrificing autonomy, the outcome could be linking Canada closer to the EU than any other country, the official said.
More from Eric Reguly at The Globe and Mail