Finnish President suggest Canada could join EU during visit to Ottawa

During his trip to Ottawa to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Finnish President Alexander Stubb discussed the idea of Canada potentially joining the European Union in an interview with CBC's Rosemary Barton."I think Canada in terms of its whole composure, its value base, is so close to the European Union that the least we can do is to forge a really close strategic partnership," Stubb said when asked about the current relationship between Canada and the EU."I can envisage a much larger EU; whether Canada is a part of it or not is up to Canada to decide," he added.Stubb has long been a proponent of deepening European integration and further expansion of the EU; his comments come as polling numbers showcase Canadians may be interested in this proposal.A recent survey of 4,000 Canadians by the polling firm Spark Advocacy showed that close to 60% of those polled said the idea was "worth exploring.".According to the poll 25% thought Canada joining the EU would be a good idea, 17% said it would be a bad idea, and 58% said the idea is "worth exploring more."Opposition to the proposal was the highest among Conservative Party voters (30%) and Albertans (23%), whereas support for the proposal was most found amongst Liberal and, funnily enough, Bloc Quebecois voters, with 32% and 31% support, respectively.Outright support for the proposal still seems to be relatively low, but with a majority of Canadians seemingly open to the discussion, this may become a more pressing issue.Prime Minister Carney has previously called Canada "the most European of non-European nations" and on the face of it wants to see Canada and the EU continue to align on most geopolitical matters.The likelihood of Canada becoming a member of the EU still remains low, but comments like this from prominent figures in the pro-EU movement suggest that the idea may not be an impossibility.

Finnish President suggest Canada could join EU during visit to Ottawa

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