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Short answer: No.
Long answer: it’s technically impossible as Canada looks a lot like the US in many ways which goes against EU regulations. For instance, if Canada would join the EU, many cars won’t be allowed on the road anymore due to EU road safety laws. Same shit with food production. It doesn’t meet EU standards, which means most Canadian food production cannot be sold, so most farms would need to drastically change or go bankrupt. These are just 2 examples of many issues why Canada can’t just join the EU. Best possible outcome would be Schengen economic zone membership. Canada needs to change so drastically before EU membership can even be considered, it is almost, if not completely, impossible.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love Canada to join us, I just don’t see how.
I’m 100% sure all the old Soviet vans in Romania aren’t up to current EU standards. Presumably things like that get grandfathered in.
Food regulations are different, but not “drastically”. I’m sure we could manage, although the farmers would act like farmers about it. Ditto for all the other regulations. It will take us a moment to move into compliance, though, so our politicians have their work cut out for them.
So that’s the EEA stuff out of the way. The Schengen zone for freedom of movement is actually bigger, because it makes problems at the US border, which is the longest border in the world and literally has buildings halfway across it. Still, if they keep acting like this, it can be overcome. The only thing left to do is to get Canadians other than me into watching Eurovision.
I asked this question during Trump’s first presidency, and was met with scoffing and incredulity. Guess it’s starting to look a bit more reasonable now.
I started to hang around on r/Europe, even. If you knew the vibe and the system in America, knew history and didn’t just disbelieve that it could apply to you, it wasn’t hard to read ahead to this moment we’re in now. Unfortunately, that combination was rare, so you and me got to be Cassandras.
That would be amazing. Even if they don’t join the EU as an EU country, but simply be an ally, that would still make the world a better place!
but simply be an ally, that would still make the world a better place!
In what way? Neither Europe nor Canada are independently imperialist (they mostly just do whatever America tells them to do), but that’s always one election away from changing.
The European empires died decades ago, and the American thing was based on soft power and wasn’t an empire.
North Korea is a bad place, since we all know that’s where this is going.
The European empires died decades ago, and the American thing was based on soft power and wasn’t an empire.
You should look up the word “imperialism”. America maintains vassal/near vassal states and military presence all over the world, has intervened in and started wars in five of the six populated continents and has repeatedly deposed governments it doesn’t like. Look at Iraq, Vietnam or Yemen/Gaza and tell me the American thing “was” “about soft power”.
Ah yes, Iraq was very close to compromising the US’s global position. /s
They don’t have vassals, unless you include Puerto Rico or Guam. The rest of us did stuff for them because we liked them, and Israel is closer to vassalising the US if you just look at the exchange of favours. Occasionally, they attacked a small nation for fairly frivolous reasons. Your guys were staining the world with blood the whole time.
Ah yes, Iraq was very close to compromising the US’s global position. /s
I know this is sarcasm but I still have no idea what you’re trying to say. Who said anything about the US’s global position?
The rest of us did stuff for them because we liked them, and Israel is closer to vassalising the US if you just look at the exchange of favours.
Oh no I’m not talking about the West; those are for the most part “allies”. By vassals I meant US-installed or heavily controlled/supported governments all over the world, like in the Middle East, Africa and South America (though those seem to be more independent now).
There are so many reason why this is unlikely to happen. That said, the US forming an alliance with Russia seemed unlikely. Yet, here we are.
The so many reasons are?
For literally joining the EU: geography, Hungary and the optics of them leaving out places like Kosovo and Bosnia while we go ahead.
For getting every part of EU membership except the technical status, there’s much fewer. The only substantial thing I’ve heard is that they’re afraid of Russia and there’s a limit to how much we can help with that, while on the other side they’re tempted to just avoid confrontation with the US, or maybe even (wrongly) think they can keep the alliance going.
I don’t know what OP was thinking of, though.
It was someone in the EU that pointed out that the requirement to be European doesn’t have a strict definition. Cyprus is a member, but not in Europe because it was found to be ‘European in culture’. Turkey is in Asia and is currently negotiating entry. I believe there are others as well, not in Europe.
Geographically speaking, we share a close sea border with France and a land border with Denmark, the latter even if only technically.
Politically, while the UK is no longer a part of the EU, it gives us much closer ties to Europe. Our Monarch is European. We have close ties to the UK in our system of government. Culturally, we are very aligned with Europe in general.
The geography is a barrier, but not a dealbreaker, for all the reasons you pointed out. A common pair of languages, and the similarities in ideology and way of life are also arguments for “substantial Europeanness”. It’s just that they still might politically decide the European Union shouldn’t include countries in the Americas, or at least not one bigger than the whole rest of their (non-Greenland?) territory.
Why is there an arrow pointing from Africa?
Yes. And we should.
Canada in the European Union would give us a major glow up.
For real
Well, it’s not Europe, but I wouldn’t personally opose it.
