Is Canada’s EU associate membership a stand against Trump?

Canada and the EU look to be drawing closer together after Ursula von der Leyen made an unprecedented offer of associate membership of the European Union to Canada.

The two have pledged to work together in the face of what they see as aggression from President Trump’s America.

Trump says the membership offer is ‘laughable’. Relations between Ottawa and Washington have deteriorated sharply since Trump took office.

He's repeatedly said Canada should become America's 51st state and they are locked in a tit-for-tat trade war.

The bloc has 27 member countries, with several others in lengthy talks to join. Plus, EU rules mean Canada can never be one of them.

So what does an associate membership actually mean? Could Canada become the first country to create a whole new type of relationship with the EU?

Joining Enda Brady for this discussion:

Tony Chapman, Podcast Host

Stephen Azzi, Professor of Political Management, History, and Political Science

Tinatin Akhvlediani, Head of EU Enlargement at the Centre for European Policy Studies

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