What von der Leyen and Carney are up to with Canada’s ‘associate’ EU membership - Atlantic Council

Prime Minister Mark Carney and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are set to sign a cooperation framework at a Montreal summit at the end of October that would admit Canadian companies to EU cloud and artificial-intelligence tenders, give Canada a role in the Galileo satellite system, smooth European investment in Canadian critical minerals and commit both sides to buying 50 Canadian-built De Havilland water bombers, the Globe and Mail reported, citing a draft joint statement. Ottawa and Brussels call the package an “alliance for the future” meant to reduce exposure to an unpredictable Washington, but a group of former diplomats and trade officials argued Thursday that one-off deals are not enough and that the two leaders should instead issue a joint declaration of common principles, open to other middle powers, in the spirit of the 1941 Atlantic Charter. Both governments are seeking shelter from protectionism under U. S. President Donald Trump. Under the leaked text, Canadian firms could bid on European cloud and AI infrastructure work normally closed to outsiders, and the De Havilland aircraft would be ready for wildfire duty by 2030.

The 20th annual Cape to Cabot road race is taking place tomorrow. The grueling 20 km trek sees participants running from one historic landmark to another: From Cape Spear to Cabot Tower on top of Signal Hill. The race starts at 8 a.m., and because of that there are a few related road closures in St. John’s. Between 7:45 and 11a.m. there will be numerous road closures along the route. A full list can be found online at VOCM dot com. Expect traffic impacts from 7:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. on routes including Blackhead Road, Southside Road, Water Street, Harbour Drive, Duckworth Street, Temperance Street and Signal Hill Road.

On Monday, Albertans vote on whether to stay in Canada or hold another binding referendum on quitting Canada. If the vote goes as polls suggest, a majority of Albertans will mark an X to stay in Confederation, and Premier Danielle Smith has said if that’s so, she expects everyone to accept it and move on. Leaders of the independence movement contest that. And political watchers are divided about whether separation — previously a fringe sentiment — will now be a prominent, permanent feature of Alberta’s political landscape, as in Quebec. Julian Castro-Rea, a political-science professor at the University of Alberta who studies the separation debates in Quebec and Alberta, believes as long as Alberta feels alienated from the Canadian capital — feeling that Ottawa benefits from Alberta’s resource economy without giving back — the movement will have fuel. “Even if the referendum is lost, the westernization will still be around, because it’s kind of a way which, traditionally, Albertans have related to the rest of Canada,” says Castro-Rea, who believes western alienation may remain indefinitely. Story continues below advertisement