Poilievre says Canada will “never be the 28th state” of the European Union
Pierre PoilievreLeader of the Conservative Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition, speaking at a rally in Brantford, Ont.
Speaking at a rally in Brantford, Ont., Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said Canada will “never be the 28th state” of the European Union. The Canadian Press reported that he told supporters Canada already has a free trade agreement with Europe and close defence ties through NATO, but that he does not support European taxes, laws and what he called “reckless European-style immigration” being brought to Canada.
“never be the 28th state … reckless European-style immigration”
Reporting
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Canada become an associate member of the European Union?
In her State of the European Union address on 16 September 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would like to work with Prime Minister Mark Carney on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the European Union, as part of moving beyond the existing CETA trade agreement to what she called an Alliance for the Future. Carney, present as an invited guest, told the European Parliament the following day that Canada welcomes the ambition, while attributing the associate-member phrase to von der Leyen rather than adopting it, and promised debates and a vote in the Canadian Parliament on the final structure. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre set red lines against Canadians paying taxes to Brussels, following European laws they did not vote on, or adopting European immigration policy. United States President Donald Trump said that if he judged the arrangement a hostile act he would impose heavy tariffs on Europe or curtail trade. No agreement has been signed, and associate membership is not a status defined in the European Union's treaties.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
The Canadian Press's report of Poilievre's remarks at a rally in Brantford, Ont., on Sunday, September 20, 2026, as carried by the Toronto Star. We could not locate a recording of the speech.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
Global News's report of the same rally, which appears to carry the same Canadian Press text.
Before the quotation
On September 16 Poilievre had set red lines on taxes, laws and immigration while the terms of any associate-member arrangement remained unpublished. The Canadian Press described the Brantford remarks as him “doubling down on his objection.”
After the quotation
The Canadian Press also reported that Poilievre had said the previous week that decisions for Canada “must not be made in Washington, Beijing or Brussels, but by Canadians here at home,” and that Carney has said the House of Commons will debate and vote on the final arrangement.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to whether Canada should become an associate member of the European Union, Poilievre rejects the proposition in this statement, saying Canada will never be a “28th state” of the Union and listing European taxes, laws and immigration he opposes. His September 16 statement was conditional on the unpublished terms; this one is a firmer objection. Only fragments of the speech are quoted by the wire report and we could not locate a recording, so the words outside the quoted fragments are the reporter’s paraphrase.
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The Dispute Index. "Poilievre says Canada will “never be the 28th state” of the European Union". First published: 2026-09-21. Last updated: 2026-09-21. https://disputeindex.com/events/1334-speaking-at-a-rally-in-brantford-ont-conservative