Canada isn't looking to join EU, Carney says, but still wants closer ties
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is "looking for a closer partnership" with the European Union — but not to become a member.
While speaking from the NATO summit in the Netherlands — where he announced Canada's promise to spend five per cent of gross domestic product on defence by 2035 — Carney was asked whether he has given any thought to trying to join the bloc of European nations.
"The short answer is no," he said. "That's not the intent. That's not the pathway we're on."
WATCH | No plans for EU membership, says Carney:
"We co-operate much more clearly and broadly to our mutual benefit," he said. "Not as a member, but along that continuum."
Defence partnership
These comments come days after Carney took steps to draw Canada closer to Europe. On Monday, he signed a strategic defence and security partnership with the EU — seen as a move toward making Canada less reliant on the United States.
A joint EU/Canada statement says the two parties agreed to a "new ambitious and comprehensive partnership" to "promote shared prosperity, democratic values, peace and security" that goes well beyond security co-operation.
To do that, the statement says, Canada and the EU launched a process that "will move Canada and the EU closer together" on a number of fronts such as trade, supply chains, aligning regulations, artificial intelligence, climate change, justice and international crisis response on top of security and defence.
From the NATO summit, Carney reiterated some of those values that he says make Canada "the most European of non-European nations" — a line he has repeated since becoming prime minister.
He highlighted Canada and the EU's shared values of "liberty" and "democracy" as well as the importance the two parties put on "solidarity" and "sustainability."
First trip as PM
The prime minister made his desire to work more closely with Europe clear from the start of his mandate.
Just days after being sworn into office, Carney headed on his first international trip to France and the United Kingdom.
WATCH | Carney comments on European allies during first foreign trip:
Before a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron during that trip in March, Carney said in French that "it is more important than ever for Canada to strengthen its ties with its reliable allies, such as France."
He said France "shares our values and lives them through action, during this age of economic and geopolitical crisis."
"We are receiving you and welcoming you as a friend with great joy," Macron said of Canada during Carney's visit, highlighting both countries' ambitions for the "fair trade and protection of the planet."
That trip — meant to seek support from two of Canada's oldest allies — came as U.S. President Donald Trump was continuing to attack Canada's sovereignty and economy.
The president had already imposed tariffs on some Canadian products and was threatening more — all while repeatedly stating his desire for Canada to become the 51st state.
The two countries are currently in negotiations to remove tariffs and counter-tariffs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
25 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Hudson's Bay landlords don't want Liu to move in, but retailer still has a shot
TORONTO - A group of Hudson's Bay's landlords don't want to transfer more than two dozen leases to British Columbia billionaire Ruby Liu, but the department store still has a chance to get its way. The Bay, which filed for creditor protection in March, ran a process over the last several months to find buyers for leases belonging to it and Saks Canada. It agreed to sell up to 28 spaces to Liu. Three leases were transferred to her without any hiccups because they're in B.C. malls she owns, but another 25 are at properties held by a who's who of Canadian commercial real estate firms. Landlords for 23 of those sites oppose the transfer. Several have said in court they've been 'very troubled' with their interactions with Liu and have had 'no productive discussions, no meaningful disclosure.' Liu insists if the court hands her the leases, landlords will warm to her and her plan to open a new department store in their properties. While the disagreement could serve as a roadblock to the Bay closing on its agreement with Liu, lawyers not involved in the case say the retailer has another route it can take to get a deal done. That route lies in changes to the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act — Canada's main insolvency law — made in 2009, said Jeff Lee, a Saskatoon-based partner at MLT Aikins LLP. The changes laid out three criteria courts must consider when asked to assign leases to a new tenant. The first is whether or not the sale has the support of the monitor, a court-appointed, independent third party which helps guide businesses through creditor protection. In the Bay's case, the monitor is Alvarez & Marsal. It has yet to reveal whether it supports the Liu deal and did not respond to requests for comment. 'Before any court application is brought forward, typically the company will test that out with them,' Lee said. 'They're not going to just sort of fly in blind and hope for the best.' The second aspect for the court to mull is whether the proposed new tenant is suitable. Lee said that's determined by looking at whether they can perform the duties of the tenant and pay rent. Liu, who made her money in Chinese real estate, appears to have deep pockets but her experience comes from being a landlord rather than a tenant. The final aspect the court will consider is whether a transfer of a lease to Liu is 'appropriate.' Lee said people should think of it as asking this question: 'Is what's proposed for this post-assignment lease relationship what people signed up for, or are they seeking to rewrite the lease or change the playing field so radically that it's not appropriate?' That's where much of the tension could lie in the Bay case. 'You can't go into CCAA as a tenant and then force your landlords to renegotiate their leases as a result,' said Peter Tolensky, a Vancouver-based partner at Lawson Lundell LLP. The Canadian Press obtained a document last week that Liu's lawyer sent landlords outlining her plans. It says she will take on the leases on an 'as is, where is' basis but doesn't mention the dining, entertainment, children's and fitness experiences she's told media she'd like to include in her department stores. It's unclear whether the leases allow for uses other than a Bay-like department store. A court faced with a request to reassign leases will weigh this context and think about whether 'the landlord's world is being turned upside down by having this new tenant,' said Geoffrey Dabbs, a B.C.-based founding partner at Gehlen Dabbs Cash. 'The more it's a minor inconvenience for the landlord, the more likely the judge will order it,' he said. While the Bay hasn't said whether it will seek an assignment, it's likely because any company in creditor protection has a duty to show the court it's doing its best to pay back companies and people it owes money to, Dabbs said. The Bay has a 26-page list of creditors, with some lenders owed more than $100 million each. Liquidation sales and a deal to sell the Bay trademarks to Canadian Tire for $30 million have put a dent in what's owed but selling leases to Liu would also help. Anyone who made an offer for leases had to make a deposit of 10 per cent of their estimated purchase price. Court documents show Liu made a deposit of $9.4 million, in addition to $6 million for the three approved leases, which would equate to a purchase price of $100 million for 28 leases. When a deal like this is reached, Dabbs said a company typically seeks landlord consent because commercial leases tend to have provisions stopping anyone from transferring a lease without a property owner agreeing. It's not uncommon for landlords to object because any leases that can't be sold and aren't assigned get turned back over to property owners who can choose how to fill them and under what terms. 'Remember, these are anchor leases, so they're probably very favourable to the Bay or to the tenant in a lot of respects,' said Tolensky, alluding to the fact that anchor tenants are often given attractive rents or terms. Thus, it's more advantageous for landlords to get their properties back, said Monica Beffa, founder of an Oakville, Ont., law firm. If they do, they can then charge higher rents, develop them for entirely new uses such as residential units or break them up into smaller parcels that can be rented by a wide array of tenants. If they don't and a court assigns the leases to Liu, landlords will likely be watching her closely to ensure she doesn't violate any terms of the agreement. 'The landlord may be cranky, if the tenant breaches, but put it this way, they don't want to rely on that,' Dabbs said. 'If they don't want this lease being assigned, they will fight it right up front.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025.
Boston Globe
33 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Around 100,000 march in Budapest Pride in open defiance of Hungary's ban
One marcher, Blanka Molnár, said it was 'a fantastic feeling' that more people had attended the Pride march than ever before despite it being outlawed. She said it was 'increasingly important' for Hungarians, 'even those who have never been to Pride before,' to push back against the government's policies. 'This isn't just about LGBQT+ rights, it's also about the right to assemble and about standing up for each other and not allowing (the government) to oppress us,' she said. Advertisement The massive size of the march, which the government for months had insisted would no longer be permitted in Hungary, was seen as a major blow to Orbán's prestige, as the European Union's longest-serving leader's popularity slumps in the polls where a new opposition force has taken the lead. Orbán and his party have insisted that Pride, a celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility and struggle for equal rights, was a violation of children's rights to moral and spiritual development — rights that a recent constitutional amendment declared took precedence over other fundamental protections including the right to peacefully assemble. Advertisement The law fast-tracked through parliament in March made it an offense to hold or attend events that 'depict or promote' homosexuality to minors underage 18. Orbán earlier made clear that Budapest Pride was the explicit target of the law. Authorities installed additional cameras throughout the city center before the march, and were expected to use facial recognition tools to identify individuals who attend the banned event. According to the new law, being caught attending Pride could result in fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($586). Marcher András Faludy said the 'hysteria' that has emerged in Hungary over the Pride march in recent months was 'damn pathetic. It's nonsense.' 'I could use an uglier word because I'm extremely angry, but I won't,' he added. The ban was the latest crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights by Orbán's government, which has already effectively banned both same-sex adoption and same-sex marriage and disallowed transgender individuals from changing their sex in official documents. Police rejected several requests by organizers in recent weeks to register the Pride march, citing the recent law. But Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony joined with organizers and declared it would be held as a separate municipal event — something he said doesn't require police approval. But Hungary's government remained firm, insisting that holding the Pride march, even if it's sponsored by the city, would be unlawful. Hungary's justice minister this week warned Karácsony that organizing Pride or encouraging people to attend would be punishable by up to a year in prison. Advertisement Many marchers expressed their belief that the Pride march represented a struggle not just for the protections of the rights of sexual minorities, but for the democratic future of their country. Participant Zsófia Szekér said the number of attendees showed that a major part of society desired a new direction for Hungary. 'I think we can only achieve change if so many people take to the streets,' she said.
Buzz Feed
an hour ago
- Buzz Feed
Money-Saving Skills That Will Save You Thousands
In this challenging economy, I'm always looking for ways to save money. Whether it's taking on DIY projects or learning how to spend less, simply knowing a few valuable life skills can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. If you're looking for a few economical hacks, you're in the right place. In one Reddit thread (which you can see here), people shared the simple and inexpensive life skills that basically made them richer, and I'm honestly going to look into some of these for myself. Ahead, I've rounded up 18 of the best skills: "I learned how to cut my dog's hair during COVID, watching videos on YouTube." "Dog grooming costs a good $70 every 2 months or so over the lifetime of the animal. So my dog has an uglier haircut, but I save thousands over the course of its life."–EarlyAd3047 "Simple handyman jobs. Get some basic tools and look up YouTube videos to save you from hiring a tradesman." "Doing 20 to 30 minutes of exercise daily will save you thousands in health costs down the road." "Cooking. It's not that hard to follow a recipe to get some decent meals." –FailedMaster "Basic sewing. Buttons, turning up trousers. So many people throw something away because it doesn't fit properly or the buttons come off." "How to budget and track expenses. Knowing where your money goes can prevent surprise overdrafts and debt." "Flossing properly. No more cavities or bleeding gums." –Thin_Pitch_4515 "Downloading digital coupons at home before you go to the grocery store." "I am a tax accountant, and I'd suggest doing your own taxes. The key is understanding when you have a complex situation. Most people without businesses or rentals can just do them online." "Learning how to make your own coffee." "A shit coffee machine is less than $30, and it'll make you coffee for as long as you take care of it. A French press will run you half that, and an electric kettle will run you less than the other half of $30. Paying more than 30 cents for a cup of coffee is wild. Do it yourself and stop paying $5 a cup for it."–theBJbanditO "Basic car maintenance — oil change, tire rotation, replacing filters. Saves a ton over time." "How to Google. But I'm serious, though. Knowing how to format a word or a question is extremely important to learn if you want to find answers. Also, if you don't even know what question to ask, knowing how to find enough info to inform yourself to ask the right question is important too." "Learning how to shop — whether it's groceries or general goods." "Small things like being able to compare prices by looking at price per ounce or unit instead of total cost. Taking the time to look over sales ads. Using manufacturers' coupons. App discounts. The list goes on. So many people mindlessly shop and get into a routine, and they don't realize how much they could save if they tried to."–buckeyebob45 "Basic retirement planning. You can save yourself thousands or even hundreds of thousands with a basic understanding of investing for retirement." "Mastering the phrase, 'let me think about it and get back to you.' Saves money and regrets." "Cycling. It takes some effort to figure out how to cycle around a city that's primarily built for cars, but the economic side is so worth it." –OldCadillac "How to negotiate your salary, or more precisely, how it's okay to try and negotiate your salary. Seriously, you can learn the basics in less than two hours, and it will earn you hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars each year for the rest of your life if you apply it." "Learned to cut my own hair. I bought a $45 cutter 10 years ago, and haven't gone to a barber since. At less than $35 a pop every six weeks, I figure I've saved over $3,000." Do you have a money-saving life skill that belongs on this list? Let me know what it is in the comments!
