Carney said von der Leyen and Costa will be in Montreal for the Canada-EU summit on 29-30 October, where a new alliance will begin.
Elon Musk posted on Wednesday in support of separatist movements in Quebec and Alberta and the secession of Saskatchewan, which Carney addressed.
Von der Leyen said in September she wants to open a path for Canada to become the first associate member of the EU, while Carney said Canada is not seeking membership.
Politico reported at the end of September that the partnership covers digital trade barriers, support for Ukraine, wildfire investment and critical minerals.
Montreal
Montreal, Sherbrooke · Canada
How it came to this
WednesdayMusk posts backing separatists in Quebec and Alberta and the secession of Saskatchewan
ThursdayCarney announces the alliance at a press conference in Sherbrooke, Quebec
29 OctCanada-EU summit opens in Montreal
Summit in Montreal
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced at a press conference in Sherbrooke, Quebec, on Thursday (local time) that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will be in Montreal in three weeks. Canada will begin a new, transformative alliance with the European Union at the Canada-EU summit, scheduled for 29-30 October in Montreal.
“Canadians can live their own lives in Quebec and the rest of the country, free from interference by foreign governments and big technology companies that think they can tell us what to do.”
Carney said the alliance with the EU would create enormous opportunities for Quebec, according to the Canadian Press. "This is how we build a strong Quebec in a strong Canada," he added.
Response to Elon Musk
Carney was responding to posts by Elon Musk on Wednesday, in which the billionaire backed separatist aspirations in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Alberta, as well as the secession of Saskatchewan. The prime minister said Canadians would decide the country's future themselves, not foreign governments or large corporations.
Scope of the partnership
In September, during Carney's visit to the European Parliament, von der Leyen said she wanted to work with him to open a path for Canada to obtain the status of first associate member of the EU. Carney also stated that Canada is not seeking membership in the community. Carney's office described the approach as unique, to be developed together.
At the end of September, Politico reported that the new partnership would be broad in scope, covering agreements to remove barriers to digital trade, support for Ukraine, investment in fighting forest fires, and faster investment in the critical minerals sector. A preliminary version of the joint statement, to be issued after the summit and quoted by Politico, says Canada and the EU can build deeper and more integrated relations, with energy sources ranging from LNG and hydrogen to solar, wind and nuclear.
Relations between Canada and the United States have worsened since Donald Trump took office as US president in early 2025, according to the reporting, which cites both tariffs imposed by the US and other factors.
Canada to launch new alliance with EU at Montreal summit on 29-30 October
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa will attend the Montreal summit, where Canada begins what he called a transformative alliance with the European Union. He spoke after Elon Musk backed separatist movements in Quebec and Alberta and the secession of Saskatchewan.
AI text based on reports by forsal.pl and wnp.pl. Published .