Canada’s Mark Carney and the EU shrug off Trump’s threats, looking to forge an “Alliance for the Future”

Updated on: September 17, 2026 / 12:55 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Strasbourg, France — Canada and its Prime Minister Mark Carney have drawn regular scorn from President Trump as the two nations remain locked in an escalating trade war, but European leaders gave the visiting Canadian premier a standing ovation on Thursday.

Carney embraced the prospect of his country becoming the European Union's first associate member, shrugging off a threat by Mr. Trump and saying closer ties with the EU would ensure no country could control Canada's markets or undermine its sovereignty.

In a speech to the European Parliament, Carney repeatedly extolled cooperation between Europe and Canada — but the now-souring relationship with the U.S., which has defined Canada's economy for decades, hung over the Thursday address.

Mr. Trump's tariffs, demands for economic concessions, and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st state have pushed Ottawa to reduce its dependence on its neighbor and seek a far deeper economic, security and political relationship with Europe.

Carney told the parliament that he welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's partnership proposal, unveiled Wednesday, though he acknowledged that "associate membership" remains to be defined.

But the Canadian leader outlined his own…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/