The NDP says Parliament should have the final say on a new relationship with the EU
New Democratic Party of CanadaFederal political party, speaking through press secretary Sam Hersh in a statement
According to The Globe and Mail, NDP press secretary Sam Hersh said the party feels Parliament should have the final say on a new relationship with the European Union. In a statement, Hersh said it was unacceptable that Canadians were learning of Prime Minister Mark Carney's interest in a new political relationship with Europe through news coverage, and that New Democrats support stronger economic ties with Europe but want the debate held in the House of Commons.
“It’s unacceptable that Canadians are learning about Mark Carney’s interest in a new political relationship with Europe through news coverage of his visit to the European Parliament, rather than an address to Canada’s House of Commons New Democrats support stronger economic ties with Europe, but the place to have that debate is here in Canada, on the floor of the House of Commons.”
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 Globe and Mail's report on von der Leyen's September 16, 2026 address to the European Parliament, with reaction from Canadian opposition parties, Canada's ambassador-designate to the EU and members of the European Parliament.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
On Wednesday, September 16, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament that she would like to work on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the EU, with Prime Minister Mark Carney attending, according to The Globe and Mail.
After the quotation
The Globe and Mail reported that the Conservatives also said Parliament should be consulted, and that Carney's spokesperson welcomed the proposal as one both sides could define together while noting that von der Leyen was calling it an alliance for the future.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether Canada should become an associate member of the European Union. The NDP did not endorse or reject the idea. Its statement said New Democrats support stronger economic ties with Europe but that the debate belongs in the House of Commons, and called it unacceptable that Canadians learned of Carney's interest in a new relationship through news coverage. Because it pairs support for closer economic ties with a demand that Parliament have the final say, without endorsing or rejecting associate membership, we labeled it Mixed or conditional.
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More from this case
Read the full caseCarleton's Achim Hurrelmann doubts an associate-member status for Canada can be set up soon
“I'm not sure if a status with that name can be established for Canada any time soon”Read statement
Poilievre says the summit cut no tariffs and warns against aligning Canada with European policies
“Worse, there was lots of talk at the summit about aligning Canada with the insane European taxes, debt, immigration and anti-oil and gas policies that have left parts of Europe bankrupt and burning.”Read statement
German ambassador says the two sides should give the associate-member label real content
“The president of the commission and the prime minister are using the term associated membership, so let's fill that name with life and see what it can be about. I think we should not be distracted by the label in question from the important content that has been agreed today”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "The NDP says Parliament should have the final say on a new relationship with the EU". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2840-according-to-the-globe-and-mail-ndp-press