Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has called on Britain to “team up” with Ottawa and the European Union in a proposed new economic partnership, arguing that profound shifts in US policy require closer cooperation among sovereign, like-minded states.
A shared project beyond trade
Speaking to the BBC, Champagne said the initiative should be judged on practical outcomes rather than symbolism. “This is all about the substance, to build an alliance of the future,” he said. “The world has changed. America has changed. So we need to change.”
His comments follow European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal to open the door to associate EU membership for Canada — an unprecedented step for the bloc. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s subsequent address to the EU in Strasbourg was intended to advance that same ambition, Champagne said.
Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England, has championed an alliance of “middle powers” capable of acting together on growth, resilience and security. Champagne argued that Canada and the UK were particularly well placed to participate because of their shared values and broadly aligned view of international affairs.
“We need to look at partnership in a different way and the great thing is that when you look at Canada — and I would say the United Kingdom — we share the same values. We are very aligned in our vision of the world. Why don’t we team up?” he said. “We are independent and sovereign, but we are stronger together.”
