Canada is not geographically eligible to join the EU by definition. The founding treaties would need to be rewritten and re-signed by all parties, which does not seem feasible short-term. The way more likely route is more trade agreements and such, which would indeed be good for everyone
Fortunately, in the post-truth world we no longer have to be limited by the meanings of words or historical precedent. We can simply redefine geography whenever it suits us, others are already doing so with impunity. If the Gulf of Mexico can become the Gulf of America and South America can become the United Colonies of America, then why can’t Canada become Europe? Nobody gives a fuck anymore. This isn’t about getting marked correctly on an assignment, this is about survival in the face of the collapse of world order and building a fortress around social democracy before it’s divided and conquered.
No, Trump did that. Technically Putin got the ball rolling by unilaterally annexing Crimea, and China’s been flirting with it for years over the South China Sea and Taiwan. This is the future of geopolitics whether you like it or not.
Also, being in the EU means meeting a lot of product, drug, food, etc. safety standards.
Just to pick one, to meet electricity standards, Canadian outlets would have to accept Type C Europlug devices and supply them with 230V at 50 Hz. That would mean redoing the entire Canadian electrical grid in a way that would make it incompatible with the American one. I don’t think that’s realistic.
More realistic is some variation of the deal that the EU has with Switzerland. Not in the EU but lots of bilateral deals that mostly make the border disappear for travellers.
That was a threat from last March when Trump was actively threatening to annex Canada and the tariff wars were just starting.
It was an effective threat because the US is very dependent on Canadian electrical generation. And, the grid was never disconnected because Canada makes a lot of money selling electricity to the US.
Actually, you are right and I’m mostly wrong. The Maastricht Treaty just says:
Any European State which respects the principles set out in Article 6(1) may apply to become a member of the Union. It shall address its application to the Council, which shall act unanimously after consulting the Commission and after receiving the assent of the European Parliament, which shall act by an absolute majority of its component members.
So, what is a “European State” is effectively just a political decision by the Council and Parliament. I guess if Cyprus and Armenia were considered “European States” then Canada is not that big of a stretch.
Additionally, the next paragraph is
The conditions of admission and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the Union is founded, which such admission entails, shall be the subject of an agreement between the Member States and the applicant State. This agreement shall be submitted for ratification by all the contracting States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.
Soo I guess even the Maastricht treaty allows itself to be modified, maybe removing the “European” criteria completely.
So it’s not as difficult as I first imagined, it’s just a question of political will from Canada and the EU institutions.
It has been tested and Morocco didn’t make the cut. I think it’d be a tough sell to argue Canada does when Morocco doesn’t.
Canada technicallyadministers a small parcel of land in France, and Canada has a land border with an EU state.
I do think that if Canada was genuinely prepared and unambiguously politically willing to join the EU, that the rules would get rewritten. Canada would be the 4th largest economy in the EU.
I think any hesitation on the EU side would be basic trust that they aren’t going to get jerked around by another primarily English speaking country, or have the country fall prey to unsavoury North American politics. I feel like Canada would need to do some PR work to distance ourselves from the UK and USA.
That application was in 1987. A lot has changed. In 1987 Spain only just joined (1986). There has been for a very long time dispute about the Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco and from where a lot of previous inhabitants/resistance have since lived in Spain. It was at that time and I think it still is also just an easy excuse to not include an officially Muslim country. And a Moroccan border would be a lot harder to guard against than current borders. Little of this kind of stuff with Canada, they’d just blab about historical ties and historical times requiring historical steps etc and make it happen. Biggest obstacle would be Hungary, USA, Russia, not geography.
I mean everyone would have to agree if Canada wanted to join anyways, so if Canada wants to join and the EU want to ever let another country join they will have to form consensus sooner or later
Canada is not geographically eligible to join the EU by definition. The founding treaties would need to be rewritten and re-signed by all parties, which does not seem feasible short-term. The way more likely route is more trade agreements and such, which would indeed be good for everyone
Fortunately, in the post-truth world we no longer have to be limited by the meanings of words or historical precedent. We can simply redefine geography whenever it suits us, others are already doing so with impunity. If the Gulf of Mexico can become the Gulf of America and South America can become the United Colonies of America, then why can’t Canada become Europe? Nobody gives a fuck anymore. This isn’t about getting marked correctly on an assignment, this is about survival in the face of the collapse of world order and building a fortress around social democracy before it’s divided and conquered.
Doesn’t Canada have a land border with Denmark in one Arctic island or something similar?
i mean europe is a made up continent anyway. If the ural mountains are continental boundaries then tell me why the rockies or the hymalayas aren’t?
Europe is just code for “white asia”
Did you really just “vibe-contract” geopolitics?
No, Trump did that. Technically Putin got the ball rolling by unilaterally annexing Crimea, and China’s been flirting with it for years over the South China Sea and Taiwan. This is the future of geopolitics whether you like it or not.
deleted by creator
Also, being in the EU means meeting a lot of product, drug, food, etc. safety standards.
Just to pick one, to meet electricity standards, Canadian outlets would have to accept Type C Europlug devices and supply them with 230V at 50 Hz. That would mean redoing the entire Canadian electrical grid in a way that would make it incompatible with the American one. I don’t think that’s realistic.
More realistic is some variation of the deal that the EU has with Switzerland. Not in the EU but lots of bilateral deals that mostly make the border disappear for travellers.
Ireland is in the EU (and the UK was too) and their sockets don’t accept Type C either.
AFAIK there were a lot of exceptions granted in the early days to make sure the program got started that wouldn’t be granted today.
Also, the plug shape isn’t nearly as big a deal as the voltage and frequency.
Ontario is already talking about cutting off the US grid. Obviously changing voltage, frequency and maybe plugs(although the EU does not have a standard for that) would be a big change.
That was a threat from last March when Trump was actively threatening to annex Canada and the tariff wars were just starting.
It was an effective threat because the US is very dependent on Canadian electrical generation. And, the grid was never disconnected because Canada makes a lot of money selling electricity to the US.
I don’t think there is an actual definition of European state in any of the EU documents, but I’d be happy to be proven wrong.
Actually, you are right and I’m mostly wrong. The Maastricht Treaty just says:
So, what is a “European State” is effectively just a political decision by the Council and Parliament. I guess if Cyprus and Armenia were considered “European States” then Canada is not that big of a stretch.
Additionally, the next paragraph is
Soo I guess even the Maastricht treaty allows itself to be modified, maybe removing the “European” criteria completely.
So it’s not as difficult as I first imagined, it’s just a question of political will from Canada and the EU institutions.
It has been tested and Morocco didn’t make the cut. I think it’d be a tough sell to argue Canada does when Morocco doesn’t.
Canada technically administers a small parcel of land in France, and Canada has a land border with an EU state.
I do think that if Canada was genuinely prepared and unambiguously politically willing to join the EU, that the rules would get rewritten. Canada would be the 4th largest economy in the EU.
I think any hesitation on the EU side would be basic trust that they aren’t going to get jerked around by another primarily English speaking country, or have the country fall prey to unsavoury North American politics. I feel like Canada would need to do some PR work to distance ourselves from the UK and USA.
That application was in 1987. A lot has changed. In 1987 Spain only just joined (1986). There has been for a very long time dispute about the Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco and from where a lot of previous inhabitants/resistance have since lived in Spain. It was at that time and I think it still is also just an easy excuse to not include an officially Muslim country. And a Moroccan border would be a lot harder to guard against than current borders. Little of this kind of stuff with Canada, they’d just blab about historical ties and historical times requiring historical steps etc and make it happen. Biggest obstacle would be Hungary, USA, Russia, not geography.
Well they do share a border with France, in the loosest sense
I don’t think France or, when they were part of it, UK, ever got the memo. Heck even Spain really.
Unless you’re going to tell me South America is geographically available while Canada isn’t.
I mean everyone would have to agree if Canada wanted to join anyways, so if Canada wants to join and the EU want to ever let another country join they will have to form consensus sooner or later