Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet tells La Presse that Carney should move closer to Europe
Yves-François BlanchetLeader of the Bloc Québécois, interviewed by La Presse
In a French-language interview with La Presse, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet said he tells Prime Minister Mark Carney to move closer to Europe, and that if Carney does, the Bloc could well be a very good collaborator.
“I tell Mr. Carney: move closer to Europe. If you do that, the Bloc could well be a very, very good collaborator. And if the federal government has the Bloc's support, it can do pretty much what it wants. (Translated from French. Original: Je dis à M. Carney : rapprochez-vous de l’Europe. Si vous faites ça, le Bloc risque d’être un très, très bon collaborateur. Et si le gouvernement fédéral a l’appui du Bloc, il peut faire pas mal ce qu’il veut.)”
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
La Presse's French-language report, published September 17, 2026, on an interview with Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet about his party's stance on the proposed closer relationship between Canada and the European Union.
Before the quotation
La Presse reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had offered Canada associate-member status in the European Union, while Prime Minister Mark Carney had put more emphasis on concluding a "unique alliance" (in French, alliance unique), and that Carney had decided to submit any agreement to Parliament for approval.
After the quotation
La Presse also reported that Blanchet described closer ties between Canada and the European Union as natural and desirable, said he expected a sustained parliamentary debate, and singled out pitfalls to avoid, including giving more ground to the EU on supply management.
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 proposal for closer ties that von der Leyen offered. Blanchet told Carney to move closer to Europe and said the Bloc could well be a very good collaborator if he did. That supports the direction of the proposal without addressing the associate-member label, so we labeled it Defended or excused. His warnings about the terms appear elsewhere in the interview.
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More from this case
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“I'm not sure if a status with that name can be established for Canada any time soon”Read statement
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“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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- Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet tells La Presse that Carney should move closer to Europe
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The Dispute Index. "Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet tells La Presse that Carney should move closer to Europe". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-10-07. https://disputeindex.com/events/2841-in-a-french-language-interview-with-la-presse