Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has urged the European Union to join forces with Canada, saying the two held common values and "were stronger together".
Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Carney said that Canada "welcomes the ambition" of the proposal for Canada to become the EU's first "associate member".
The proposal was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday.
"We are not fair-weather allies. We do not pursue zero-sum deals," Mr Carney told the parliament.
"We hold common values for which we have always fought, and in whose defence we must always remain vigilant.
"Canada and Europe are each strong. Europe and Canada are stronger together."
Mr Carney also called for closer cooperation on critical minerals, defence and AI.
Watch: Canada welcomes EU ambition for it to become 'associate member'
Earlier, the European Commission said the proposal is not aimed against the United States, after President Donald Trump threatened trade ties over the plan.
"As our president made clear yesterday, the proposed strengthening of our partnership with Canada is not against anyone else, but for our common strength," the commission's trade spokesperson Olof Gill said when asked about Mr Trump's threat.
Ms von der Leyen's pitch comes as both Canada and the European Union seek to pivot away from an aggressive United States under Mr Trump's leadership.
"I think it's laughable," Mr Trump told reporters when asked about the plan.
"If they do that, if I think it's at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe, on many things."
He added: "If it's a good intention, that's fine. If it's a bad intention, we'll put very heavy tariffs on Europe, which is a possibility."
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Ms von der Leyen pitched closer cooperation on tech, defence and energy to Mr Carney, who became the first non-European head of government to attend the annual State of the European Union speech.
She told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that, as democracies face a "fracture in the international rules-based system," Brussels and Ottawa needed to pull closer together.
"I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the EU," Ms von der Leyen told the Canadian PM, drawing a standing ovation in the chamber.
A broader alliance
Mr Carney has been pursuing closer ties with the European Union as Canada gets drawn ever deeper into a trade war with the United States.
His visit to Brussels is meant to act as a catalyst ahead of an EU-Canada summit in Montreal next month.
Mr Carney has spoken about the need for middle powers to forge closer partnerships in a world dominated by the likes of Russia, China and the United States.
The EU is keen to maintain a close relationship with Mr Carney as Canada is rich in critical raw materials, is a reliable member of the transatlantic alliance and has been a steadfast supporter of Ukraine following the Russian invasion in 2022.
The European Commission also sees opportunities for collaboration in cybersecurity, quantum computing and energy.
However, the offer of associate membership has taken member states by surprise.
There is no model of such a partnership in the Lisbon Treaty - both sides are linked by the trade agreement known as CETA, and that has yet to be ratified by 10 member states, including Ireland.
Ms von der Leyen said it was time to move from cooperation based on trade to a broader "alliance for the future" and "bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible".
"We will work on intelligent manufacturing. We will create a tech alliance. We will integrate defence industrial bases. We will make the Arctic a flagship joint project," she said.
She listed energy, critical minerals, batteries, AI, cyber and economic security as other fields of cooperation.
"This is a partnership not against anyone else, but for our common strength," she said.
EU 'opening door' for Canada to become first 'associate member'
But both the EU and Canada have been buffeted by tariffs and territorial threats from the US and competition from China.
"In a more dangerous and divided world, Canada is forging stronger relationships with trusted partners," the Canadian prime minister's office said in a statement.
What's in a name
While EU treaties do not envision the possibility of becoming an "associate member," the idea was first floated by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz this year for Ukraine.
Under that plan, which met a cold reception from a country pushing for full membership, Ukraine would have been allowed to attend the bloc's summits and have a representative in the European Commission.
It would have also benefited from parts of the EU budget, but without full voting rights.
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"We don't really know yet what it means," said Tobias Cremer, a center-left European MEP from Germany and the main sponsor of a resolution urging stronger EU-Canada cooperation, after Ms von der Leyen's "associate membership" pitch.
Under EU rules, member states have to approve any form of partnership with a third country and it was unclear how much support Ms von der Leyen's proposal would receive from capitals.
This year Canada became the first non-EU country to join a flagship defence loan programme.
After Ms von der Leyen's address to the European Parliament yesterday, Mr Carney flew to Britain for his first meeting with new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
They attended a football match between Everton and Wolves together before Mr Carney's return to Strasbourg for his speech this morning.
Irish EU Presidency will most likely lead discussions on Canada, says minister
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs Thomas Byrne described the in vitation to Canada to become an associate EU member as a "very interesting proposal".
Mr Byrne said the EU, including Ireland, already has an "incredibly close relationship" with Canada, and it is to be determined how to "build" on that.
He said that as far as EU-Canada relations go, it is to "go as far as we can," short of Canada joining the European Union "in any real way".
Minister Byrne said Canada would not become part of the Common Agricultural Policy, adding that "it's hard to see how you would even have free movement of people".
He said like any European Commission proposal, it will have to go before the leaders of the 27 EU member states at the next European Council meeting, as well as the European Parliament.
"But, there is huge warmth towards Canada...and that's across the political divide."
He said he "supposed" that the Irish presidency of the EU will be "leading on the discussions" on associate Canadian membership "between now and any summit between the EU and Canada".
"It's a very, very exciting time," Mr Byrne said.
"I'd say if you asked the German government directly, it would be very strongly in favour of the deepest possible relationship with Canada, that can only be a fact," he said in response to Berlin questioning whether the term associate member is appropriate.
Watch: EU Commission spokesman Olof Gill discusses the proposal to grant Canada associate membership of the EU
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Additional reporting Tony Connelly
