After all the hubbub about it, the EU has backed away from giving Canada “associate membership.” Several governments balked at the phrase, and the draft Montreal summit statement now promises an “ever closer association” instead.
That must be embarrassing for the europhile Prime Minister Mark Carney, though he says the label doesn’t matter. And, really, he’s right. The words might be different, but the goal hasn’t changed. He wants to bring Canada into a much closer political and regulatory relationship with Brussels.
