Carney confirms Canada will move away from Starlink, F-35s

French President Emmanuel Macron on September 21 endorsed a proposal for Canada to become the European Union's first associate member, meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the archipelago of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon — a French territory just off Newfoundland's coast — in a vivid symbol of Canada's accelerating pivot toward Europe.bdtonline+1

The meeting came days after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed the associate member concept during her State of the Union address in Strasbourg on September 16, and after Carney delivered a sweeping speech to the European Parliament on September 17 calling for a strategic alliance spanning critical minerals, AI, defence, and trade.pm+1

A Sovereignty Push Beyond Trade

Carney's European courtship is part of a broader effort to reduce Canadian dependence on the United States across multiple domains. In an interview with The New York Times ↗ 2.07% published this week, Carney confirmed plans to diversify away from Elon Musk's Starlink Tesla, Inc. ↗ 2.20% satellite system. "Starlink, we will diversify away from, no question," Carney said, describing the American-run network as "not sovereign" and noting its role in a past global conflict. He also signaled Canada is reconsidering its reliance on American-made F-35 fighter jets and exploring deeper economic ties with China.cultmtl+2

The moves follow months of deteriorating US-Canada relations under President Donald Trump's tariff campaign. Canadian exports to the US accounted for roughly 70% of the country's total before the trade war began. Carney, whose approval ratings have risen sharply as he held firm against Trump's trade threats, has framed the European outreach not as reactive but as forward-looking. "This is for a better future for our citizens," he told European lawmakers.gzeromedia+1

Obstacles on the Road to Brussels

The associate membership concept remains undefined in EU treaty law. The notion was originally pitched by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as a framework for Ukraine, and von der Leyen adapted it for Canada. The EU and Canada have not yet fully ratified the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, which has been provisionally in place since 2017 but still lacks approval from ten member states.atlanticcouncil+1

Carney himself has acknowledged that the label matters less than the substance. "The precise nomenclature is for Europe — it's a question for Europe," he told MEPs. "What matters is the substance". A summit in Montreal on October 29–30 is set to be the next milestone in negotiations.euperspectives

Building a Middle Power Bloc

Carney's ambitions extend beyond the EU. As Ian Bremmer wrote in GZERO Media, the Canadian leader is seeking a broader "alliance for the future" that could eventually draw in the United Kingdom under Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Australia under Anthony Albanese. But both leaders face domestic political headwinds that Carney, buoyed by his standoff with Trump, does not yet share.gzeromedia

The Irish Times noted this week that Canada's defiance of Washington faces hard economic limits, with the US economy representing more than a third of Canada's total economic activity. Carney is betting he can absorb short-term pain while outlasting Trump, who has just over two years remaining in office. Whether the EU's legislative machinery — and Canada's economy — can keep pace with that ambition remains the central question.irishtimes