Carney backs Canada as EU associate member amid resistance

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly backed describing Canada as an “associate member” of the European Union on Thursday, as he and senior EU officials promoted closer ties while the proposed status remained unsettled. At a Montreal business roundtable, Carney said Canada and the EU shared a mission to build an alliance “with Canada as an associate member.” He had previously said the name mattered less than the practical benefits of a stronger relationship. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promoted Canada becoming the bloc’s first associate member, a status with no existing precedent in EU treaties. She said Thursday that the two sides were discussing the idea and wanted to bring their relationship to the highest possible level. Canada is not seeking full EU membership, which Carney has ruled out. Some EU governments, including France and Germany, have questioned the associate-member designation. A draft joint declaration reviewed ahead of the summit reportedly leaves out the label, instead referring to ever closer association and continued work to define the relationship. The draft is not the final declaration, which was due to be published...