European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed during her State of the Union address in Strasbourg that Canada become an associate member of the European Union. The proposal was made in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was invited for the occasion. Von der Leyen emphasized shared perspectives on issues such as artificial intelligence, climate change, and geopolitics, calling for an "alliance for the future" and a "common space of prosperity and economic security." The idea aims to strengthen ties with Canada, which is seen as a reliable partner, particularly given concerns about the United States' reliability on commercial, security, and democratic fronts. Dirk Gotink, a Dutch European Parliament member, noted that Canada is a reliable partner, citing the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada, which is provisionally applied but not yet ratified by ten EU member states. The EU-Canada partnership extends to defense, with Canada participating in the Volunteer Coalition supporting Ukraine and benefiting from the European SAFE program, which provides 150 billion euros in loans for joint military projects. Some European Parliament members, such as Spanish socialist Laura Ballarin, viewed the proposal as a strong message to U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticized the move as a "hostile act" and threatened to impose heavy tariffs or stop trade with Europe. In response, Carney stated, "No one will dictate to Canada with whom it can sign agreements." However, not all European Parliament members supported the proposal. Virginie Joron of the National Rally expressed skepticism, questioning the practicality of the associate member status, which is not currently defined in EU treaties. While some countries like Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein have close ties with the EU through the Schengen area and the single market, the associate member status is a new concept. The proposal surprised many in Europe, including some European capitals, many of which claim not to have been informed beforehand. It is believed that France and Germany may have given their approval prior to the announcement. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had previously proposed an associate member status for Ukraine, while French President Emmanuel Macron planned a visit to Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon with Carney to support the EU-Canada alliance.