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🇨🇦PM Carney's speech to the 🇪🇺Parliament starting now, with an intro by speaker Metsola pointing out that both 🇨🇦&🇪🇺 are unions. "Our friendship is built on the same udnerstandig that united Canadians in 1867 and Europeans in 1951 – that we are always stronger when we work together" Two confederations

As Carney takes to the podium a (far right, judging by the side of the chamber) Member of the 🇪🇺Parliament chants "USA, USA". The room reacts with groans. Carney laughs. He begins his speech in French.

“We are not fairweather allies," 🇨🇦PM Carney tells the 🇪🇺Parliament. "We do not pursue zero sum deals. Our commitment to the rule of law and our unyielding defence of human dignity, individual freedom and democracy share the same deep roots, the same unwavering dedication."

🇨🇦PM Carney: "Canada and Europe are not bound by Geography, even though our Danish friends know we share a 3,000 km border in the Arctic." "We are bound by an elective affinity - chosen, renewed and stronger for being so."

🇨🇦PM Carney: "Sovereignty today goes beyond being able to feed, fuel & defend ourselves. It now requires secure access to AI, semiconductors, critical minerals, payment systems, clean energy tech, vaccines, space-based communications. And we all have important gaps in these strategic capabilities."

🇨🇦PM Carney: "We each must rely on individual nations or individual companies to fulfil them. That creates vulnerabilities. Particularly when supposedly global companies prove national in the breach. Closing these gaps is not possible alone." "🇨🇦🇪🇺 are each strong. We are stronger together."

And he's used the words - a big question for today. "Yesterday President von der Leyen...opened the door to Canada becoming the EU’s first associate member. Canada welcomes this ambition, and polling shows an overwhelming number of Canadians support much closer ties with Europe."