Sweden’s PM jokes about Canada joining the EU, says it’s a ‘very welcoming club’ (www.ctvnews.ca)

submitted 6 hours ago by Scotty@scribe.disroot.org to c/canada@lemmy.ca

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Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson joked there may be a place for Canada in the European Union to join “like-minded” nations as “the most Nordic country in the world outside the Nordics.”

“European Union is obviously a matter of geography, you can hear that from the name,” Kristersson told CTV Question Period host Vassy Kapelos when asked for his opinion on comments by other world leaders that Canada should join the EU.

“But it is also a matter of values, and a matter of what countries would you like to integrate together with in different aspects,” he added, laughing. “So, it’s not for me to say, but the European Union is a very welcoming club for (the) like-minded.”

Finnish President Alexander Stubb made headlines last month when he commented on the possibility of Canada joining the EU. Asked by Kapelos about those comments during an interview on CTV Question Period at the time, Stubb said he wasn’t the one who raised the idea, but that he hopes Canada and the EU can “be as close as possible.”

“I would embrace you, because I think you guys are great, and you would slot into the system like nothing before,” Stubb said of the hypothetical scenario.

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[-] Dojan@pawb.social 1 points 46 minutes ago* (last edited 46 minutes ago)

The Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson was also in a secret meeting with Peter Thiel. And shockingly, Sweden's police also uses Palantir but surely that's not related.

So actually, fuck that man. I hope all ills befall him.

[-] ikidd@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

I'll bet half the people calling for Canadian EU membership are also losing their minds about Canada contemplating an age verification / communication backdoor law that's not half as draconic as what the EU already has in place.

Shit, people lost their fucking minds when someone just put in a placeholder for it into systemd and doxed the developer that did the PR.

[-] FreeBooteR69@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 hours ago

We don't need to join the EU, but would be nice if the entire EU ratified CETA. CETA/CPTPP/MERCOSUR and other trade pacts need to combine into a super block which would give us all great leverage against the Hegemons and Hyperscalers.

[-] HubertManne@piefed.social 4 points 4 hours ago

I dunno. I kinda feel like canada, japan, australia, south korea should start an pacific block as a core.

[-] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Canada has CANZUK to aspire to. We don't need US satellites.

(Good luck convincing ROK or Japan to abandon the US)

[-] veni_vedi_veni@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago

The Aussies maybe. , but Japan and SK are way too rigid. Didn't SK's PM also try to attempt a dictatorial coup?

[-] HubertManne@piefed.social 5 points 3 hours ago

yeah but he was stopped. I would like to see more of that.

[-] TheHonourablePierrePoilievre@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 hours ago

Australia sux

[-] CapuccinoCoretto@lemmy.world 7 points 6 hours ago

Joking, but not joking.

Let's gooooooo!

[-] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 3 points 5 hours ago

I just don’t want anyone “joking” about us joining them.

I’d be happy if we joined the EU trade block, though I would like some exemptions from some EU law like the UK has before their temper tantrum (e.g. I like the loonie, I want to see it thrive, I don’t know that using the Euro would help us or our central bank).

[-] Scotty@scribe.disroot.org 2 points 5 hours ago

I guess this joke was meant to be positive and welcoming, there's no bad faith imo.

The euro isn't a precondition for the EU membership, but I personally think a common currency is a huge advantage. And Canada would likely qualify soon imho.

[-] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 4 points 5 hours ago

I mean, I get it, just the whole “Twump was joking about his threats” shit has pissed me off beyond measure.

I still don’t see the Euro as being good for Canada.

We have very different reasons for currency fluctuation, so I think it puts Canadian markets in an awkward spot that just isn’t relevant like it is for the other EU members.

[-] Scotty@scribe.disroot.org 2 points 5 hours ago

A common currency would support cross-country investments and trade as it would limit costs and risk for companies.

[-] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 5 points 4 hours ago

But I don’t think it does limit risk, it only limits it for EU trade.

If Germany’s central bank does something and the Euro goes up, Canadian export markets become less competitive.

But really, is that good for Canada? I feel like the more local you can get the better on this type of thing.

[-] Scotty@scribe.disroot.org 0 points 4 hours ago

Canada's central bank (as much as Germany's and all the others') would have a seat on the table at the European Central Bank. Canada would be part of the decision making process as all others. If you have partners that play by the rule of law (and I guess we can agree that European states are among these partners), it is a win for everyone imo.

[-] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 hours ago

I do agree with this and I would love to remove the royal family from our money but I do like the themes the mint comes out with every so often for the coins and the bills. With the removal of the Canadian dollar we cannot have those themes anymore, which would make me sad!

I am more of a fan of a CANZUK (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK) currency sure we would keep the royals on our currency but I am sure there would be more freedom to make themes seeing as how it would be a smaller block. Maybe we could through Japan and South Korea in there to remove the royals and still keep the themes? Or maybe we could just agree on coin shapes and bill colours and each country could do their own themes!