Perverse politics continue apace in Canada. In our trade “war” – as Prime Minister Carney has named it – with the United States, a major concern that keeps getting identified is Canada’s sovereignty as a nation. This is certainly a legitimate concern, especially in the context of negotiating a trade agreement with the most powerful country in the world. However, at the same time that Canada is in a trade conflict with our most important by far trade partner, our prime minister is busy partnering up with much more worrisome hegemons which are more threatening to our independence as a nation.
Getting closer to Communist China is the biggest threat to Canada’s sovereignty by far. Along with signing on to a “strategic partnership” with China – the terms of which have never been shared with Canadians – he has delayed signing a trade co-operation framework agreement with Taiwan that was arrived at months ago. China has made no secret of its intentions to take over Taiwan and make it part of China, as it was prior to 1895. Taiwan is a vibrant democracy that strenuously resists becoming part of Communist China. Carney’s delay in signing the trade co-operation framework is being cited by some as a result of Canada getting closer to China under Carney’s regime.
In January of this year, two Liberal MPs cut short a parliamentary trip to Taiwan to avoid overlapping with a Beijing trip of Carney’s as they knew Liberals visiting Taiwan would displease China. MPs from other political parties remained on the trip. Taiwan is an important regional partner in Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy and shares democracy and human rights values with Canada and should not be shunted aside because of Carney’s desire to get cozier with China.
The big news in the last week was all about the supposed “Associate Membership” for Canada in the European Union. Instead of announcing this so-called deal with Europe in the Canadian Parliament, Carney chose to make a speech to the EU Parliament, speaking about the advantages of Canada having closer ties with the EU. He didn’t of course speak of the many disadvantages and constraints that Canada would endure if it did become some sort of member of the EU.
In a column by this author a few months ago, I itemized many of the major drawbacks for Canada in becoming some kind of member of the EU. All of that still applies. Although Carney keeps saying a new kind of partnership will benefit Canada, the reality is that we already have a comprehensive trade agreement with the EU and all kinds of other connections that we currently enjoy without having the restrictions of the EU imposed on us. It’s difficult to understand why we need a closer connection when we already have most of the tangible benefits of dealing with the EU. Despite the current trade agreement and other treaties, only five per cent of our exports currently go to the EU. Canada also has a trade deficit with the EU, as we import more than twice the amount we export to them. It’s just fine to look at doing more trade with the EU, but that can be accomplished perfectly well under the existing free trade agreement and other arrangements.
The reason I keep using the term “some kind of member” of the EU is that we have no idea what Carney is talking about. He and the EU President Ursula von der Leyen were using the term “Associate Member,” which has never existed before and has no definition as to what it means. Current rules of the EU state that to be a member a country has to be located in Europe, which Canada clearly is not. As is usual for Carney, he has been very secretive about what might be the terms of Canada becoming closer to the EU. This should arouse the suspicion of all Canadians, as anyone who is proud of what they are doing would never be as secretive as Carney is on virtually all of his major policy thrusts.
A number of current EU members also were blindsided by this notion of an “Associate Membership” for Canada and said they were opposed to it. Clearly Carney and his EU compatriots didn’t do their homework in preparing either Canada or the EU for this initiative that seems to have come out of thin air with little forethought. This was never an issue that was mentioned at all in the last Canadian federal election. At a minimum, this major of a change for Canada should have a thorough airing in our Parliament, which Carney continues to avoid whenever possible.
Oddly, public opinion polls indicate that a majority of Canadians would welcome a membership in the EU. This can only suggest that most Canadians have no idea what such a thing would entail, and how it would in turn threaten our sovereignty and further damage our economy. Maybe some Canadians think a closer partnership with the EU would mean better vacations in the south of France or more favourable gastronomic tours of Italy, but the EU is a nightmare of excess government, sluggish economic growth, deindustrialization because of foolish “green” policies that greatly increased energy prices and a mass migrant immigration crisis much worse than Canada’s. And our mass immigration crisis is plenty bad enough.
Carney’s personal goals seem to be distracting him from focussing on things that would be good for Canada. His energies are devoted to activities outside of Canada, and he clearly loves being on the world stage where he apparently believes his illustrious future lies. His outsized focus on Europe, his past claims to be a European and seeming belief that Canada is beneath him imply that the EU is where he sees his post-Canada life. A Canadian prime minister who regularly pays more attention to issues outside of Canada at a time when we have plenty of serious issues here at home should be a major concern to all Canadians.
Catherine Swift was President of the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers & Businesses Canada from 2022 to 2026. She was previously President of Working Canadians from 2015-2021 & President & CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) from 1995-2014. She was Chief Economist of the CFIB from 1987-1995, Senior Economist with TD Bank from 1983-1987 & held several positions with the federal government from 1976-1983.
She has published numerous articles in journals, magazines & other media on issues such as free trade, finance, entrepreneurship & women business owners. Ms. Swift is a past President of the Empire Club of Canada, a former Director of the CD Howe Institute, the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, SOS Children’s Villages, past President of the International Small Business Congress and current Director of the Fraser Institute. She was cited in 2003 & 2012 as one of the most powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network & is a recipient of the Queen’s Silver & Gold Jubilee medals.
