Thread

Canada welcomes EU proposal to become 'associate member'

284 points · 354 comments · witweb

delichon · 1789653589 · focus · HN ↗
Reaction from the Canadian opposition leader:
```
  The Prime Minister can’t seem to get his story straight about the “associate membership,” “unique alliance,” or whatever else he is negotiating with the EU.

  Conservatives are clear: we support the decades-old free trade &amp; NATO defence alliance with Europe.

  But no EU taxes, no EU laws, and no EU open-border immigration policies should be imposed on Canadians.

  Canada must be independent and sovereign. Period.
```
<a href="https://x.com/PierrePoilievre/status/2100274078066036766" rel="nofollow">https://x.com/PierrePoilievre/status/2100274078066036766
1. AlexandrB · 1789654192 · focus · HN ↗
  He's not wrong. I have a suspicion this EU idea is a way to backdoor immigration increases - something the Trudeau government was very keen on but was scaled back by Carney. Largely because immigration has become a hot-button issue in Canada and was partly responsible for Polilievre's popularity last election. Joining a treaty where another governing body would set the criteria for immigration and Canada just has to accept it due to freedom of movement within the EU is one way to route around the whole thing politically and make it much harder to change in the future.
  If this is the motivation, it's a grossly undemocratic move.
  I don't get how folks who hyperventilate about Trump being a threat to democracy can look at stuff like this and cheer.
  1. donbox · 1789654496 · focus · HN ↗
    The free movement (if it is in picture) might be restricted to citizens. I think we need to wait for more details.
    AlexandrB · 1789654636 · focus · HN ↗
    Absolutely true. I suppose I'm just seeing the ways that this could be abused by our political leaders.
    fidotron · 1789655055 · focus · HN ↗
    The question is if it would allow all the wealthy Canadians to finally leave for Cyprus without paying exit taxes.
    donbox · 1789657005 · focus · HN ↗
    IMHO, it would be a win even if it allowed movement between Canada and the EU as freely as Canadians and Americans can currently move between Canada and the US. That would give Canadian snowbirds easier (longer) access to warm EU destinations, while those destinations would benefit from the additional revenue.
    fidotron · 1789657228 · focus · HN ↗
    In winter even the warm bits of the EU aren't all that warm either, and no one complains about the cold like a (non B.C.) Canadian encountering European winter humid cold for the first time.
    Europeans go to Thailand, even Latam etc. It's why so many were killed in the Indian Ocean tsunami.

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