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Canada won’t become the 51st US state – but could it join the EU? (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 1 month ago by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/canada@lemmy.ca

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Joachim Streit has never stepped foot in Canada. But that hasn’t stopped the German politician from launching a tenacious, one-man campaign that he readily describes as “aspirational”: to have the North American country join the EU.

“We have to strengthen the European Union,” said Streit, who last year was elected as a member of the European parliament. “And I think Canada – as its prime minister says – is the most European country outside of Europe.”

While he admitted that the possibility of Canada as a full member of the EU “may be aspirational for now”, he wondered if it was an idea whose time had come.

“Canada would be a strong member,” he said. “If Canada would be a member of the EU, it would rank 4th in terms of GDP. It’s part of Nato. And 58% of (working-age) Canadians have college degrees.”

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[-] NIB@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

First, Canada should just join Eurovision. This should be mandatory IMO, for all european members, candidates and future prospects.

But realzies, Canada is just too far away. They can get a trade deal and join in for certain policies(environmental, etc) but ultimately, unions mostly make sense for neighbours. I dont think either the EU or Canada will benefit that much from a union, at least for now. Maybe in a few decades, after both sides integrate better and have common policies, things will be different. However, if globalization collapses and the US keeps going the way it is going, i can see this accelerating things.