Should Canada join the European Union?

[saffronleaf]

What do you think?

Although no serious discussions have taken place, please note that this isn't as absurd as it may seem on the face of it. EU countries don't necessarily have to be within geographic Europe (see, e.g., Cyprus), Canada meets the Copenhagen criteria for membership, and CETA is the most extensive trade arrangement between the EU and a country outside of Europe.

[sunsetmountainland]

no

[saffronleaf]

Originally Posted by sunsetmountainland

no

Normally I'd ask people to elaborate, but given your post history, never mind.

[sunsetmountainland]

Originally Posted by saffronleaf

Normally I'd ask people to elaborate, but given your post history, never mind.

Please feel free to elaborate on my post history?

[ssiguy]

I would certainly support joining the EU but not the Euro. Free trade of good, services, and people but maintain our financial independence much like Norway.

It's quite clear that we can't rely on the US to play fairly in trade agreements and I would much rather have free trade with Europe than the TPP or China where all {except Japan, NZ, Australia} have far lower enviornmental, anti-corruption, and labour standards.

[Capsicum]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I would certainly support joining the EU but not the Euro. Free trade of good, services, and people but maintain our financial independence much like Norway.

It's quite clear that we can't rely on the US to play fairly in trade agreements and I would much rather have free trade with Europe than the TPP or China where all {except Japan, NZ, Australia} have far lower enviornmental, anti-corruption, and labour standards.

I agree. I think we Canadians should have more trade with the countries like those in Europe, Japan, Australia and NZ, so we are not as dependent on the big countries like the US and China, where the balance of power is not as symmetric, as well as not having to engage in sacrificing certain standards like the ones you mention (eg. environmental, health etc.) in a "race to the bottom".

[saffronleaf]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I would certainly support joining the EU but not the Euro. Free trade of good, services, and people but maintain our financial independence much like Norway.

Yes, I think a Norway or Switzerland like arrangement would be ideal.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I would certainly support joining the EU but not the Euro. Free trade of good, services, and people but maintain our financial independence much like Norway.

Norway isn't part of the UE.

Incidentally, it's interesting how Europe's richest countries (Switzerland, Norway) are the ones that aren't part of the union.

[saffronleaf]

Originally Posted by lio45

Norway isn't part of the UE.

Incidentally, it's interesting how Europe's richest countries (Switzerland, Norway) are the ones that aren't part of the union.

Yea but Norway is part of the EEA and has free movement. That would be huge if Canada did that.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by saffronleaf

Yea but Norway is part of the EEA and has free movement. That would be huge if Canada did that.

What kind of free movement do you envision between Canada and the EU?

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

What kind of free movement do you envision between Canada and the EU?

All our plumbers and waiters would be Polish!

Although, last time I checked, Canada is not in Europe (thank the Creator!), so the issue raised in this thread seems moot.

[saffronleaf]

Originally Posted by Acajack

What kind of free movement do you envision between Canada and the EU?

Just the freedom to live and work anywhere in Canada or the EU. But there would be border controls in the sense that if you land in Canada you'll still have to show documentation (i.e., proof of EU citizenship) to enter (and vice versa -- Canadians would need to show their passport when landing in Europe).

[sunsetmountainland]

Listen Canada is not even capable of having a trading society within the country.It is to disfunctional. Alberta cannot get their oil to port so why even think about a trading opportunity with the European Union. I would look east towards the growing asian nations not back at a disfunctional E.U.

The only trade that Canada knows is with the U.S. anyways.

[esquire]

Sometimes it seems as though Canada barely survive within its existing constitutional framework, and we're going to lard another layer of government on top of that? Not a chance. There's enough fractiousness between the province and feds, never mind introducing the EU to the mix.

[Capsicum]

If Canada joins the EU, there's the odds of later on Canada pulling a Brexit and Quebec being like Scotland.

[sunsetmountainland]

The countries Canada needs to be working with are the BRIC. Justin already screwed up India so I would focus on the asian countries in the pacific rim.

[casper]

Originally Posted by sunsetmountainland

The countries Canada needs to be working with are the BRIC. Justin already screwed up India so I would focus on the asian countries in the pacific rim.

I don't know if Justin screwed up India. I think a better way of looking at is Canada was not on India's radar. He made a bunch of noise, played the part of Mr. Bean goes to India. He is now on the radar, Canada is a bit more on the radar and he came across looking not looking as bad as Trump. If they want to do improve trade with North America it is either us of the Americans. I think we still look pretty good.

[jigglysquishy]

No

European countries are ethno states with different built form and economies. I would greatly welcome a closer relationship with them but I don't think it's in our best interest to merge.

We have an incredibly close relationship with the USA and we never merged. It is completely unnecessary to join the EU

[thurmas]

Outside of Germany and a few of the smaller northern EU nations Europe is an economic laggard. Why would you want to be joined by the hip to an area with massive debt, aging society, and stagnant economies going nowhere for the past 20 years?

[mousquet]

Why not? But then the name should be changed to Western Union or something, cause Canada ain't exactly European by geographical data, and there would be a huge fight over the choice of a city to set up the capital of such a union.

I thought about that already. Like what if the Americas and Europe were a single federal country, since we've shared lots of basic cultural traits over the past centuries? It surely would be great, much power... Some crushing power! But today's people are too self-centered and not wise enough to make it yet.