Canadians push for closer Europe ties as EU talks of associate status surface

Canadians welcomed PM Mark Carney’s push for closer Canada–EU cooperation and the idea that Canada could become Europe’s first associate member, a status that would let Canadians live, work, and study in the EU. But the status does not exist yet and would require ratification by all 27 EU states, so prospects remain uncertain. The idea has sparked optimism in Toronto and among Canadians surveyed, even as US relations and existing agreements like CETA complicate the path forward; details of the plan are still unclear and political hurdles remain.