Ottawa Looks East as Canada and the EU Explore Deeper Ties

Why it matters

For citizens on both sides of the Atlantic, talk of high-level geopolitical alignment usually sounds remote until it touches supply chains, energy flows, and regulatory norms. Canada has historically served as one of the European Union's most dependable non-European allies, bound by shared democratic principles and established trading frameworks. When middle powers and established blocs seek closer operational ties, the real-world prize is resilience: insulating domestic economies from external shocks, coordinating trade safeguards, and ensuring that sudden shifts in major world capitals do not leave either side isolated. In a world where long-standing alliances are routinely tested, finding common ground with reliable partners is less of an ideological luxury and more of an economic necessity.