Oof. TIL. On the plus side, it's been a far more stable currency since its introduction than CAD over the same time period. Swinging wildly back and forth from USD parity -- and I'll admit I'm coming from a U.S. perspective -- can't have been a fun time. When I was living in Victoria at the turn of the century, I got CAD1.60 per dollar after ATM fees, which made everything insanely cheap, since rack rates for everything mirrored U.S. pricing.

My girlfriend and I could go out for a nice dinner with drinks for what to me was $20.

But some 15 years later (I don't remember exactly when, as when you get older, time starts to lose meaning), the Canadian dollar was actually stronger than ours.

Exactly. But if we are honest. Canada joining the EU with no land border even close. Would be such a huge change in how it needs to work Vs other members.

It is much more likely to negotiate an EEA like arangment. As customs etc would face huge complications with the US being their largest trading partner.

Just about everything would need to be up for debate for such a deal to be practical on Canada's part.

Just things like electrical trade would be questionable. Localisation meant almost all other members were using 220v like systems before unification. Food standards make EU / north American trade in many products complex. So either way any merge is going to be long and complex. So differences will be needed,

On the flipside there's overseas territories which don't use the Euro, and there's been plenty of talk of a multi-speed Europe. Single market won't be negotiable, though, so there's going to be inspections at the border keeping refrigerated eggs and chlorinated chickens out.