# Could Canada join the EU? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 1, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-canada-join-the-eu/242915 "2004-05-01T00:46:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-canada-join-the-eu/242915/1 "2004-05-01T00:46:16Z")
[10 countries](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040430.weueu0430/BNStory/International/) have just joined the EU. Another three are waiting in line. Why stop there? Is there any reason Canada could not join the EU, assuming it wanted to, and was prepared to do the necessary work to join? What about other countries? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-canada-join-the-eu/242915/2 "2004-05-01T01:08:45Z")
> [@](#): > > =Sunspace > Why stop there? Is there any reason Canada could not join the EU, assuming it wanted to, and was prepared to do the necessary work to join? Doesn’t not being even vaguely European weigh against them in wanting to join the European Union? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-canada-join-the-eu/242915/3 "2004-05-01T02:04:30Z")
The European Union is devoted to a stronger and more integrated Europe. I would seriously doubt the sanity of any Canadian who devoutly wanted to join. Why cede independence to a bunch of Brussels elitists, and lose control over our immigration, monetary, agricultural and cultural policies… in order to subsidize countries less well off than Canada? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-canada-join-the-eu/242915/4 "2004-05-01T02:11:00Z")
Oh, I’m not making any judgement as to whether it would be a good idea. I’m just wondering whether it would be _possible_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-canada-join-the-eu/242915/5 "2004-05-01T02:20:33Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Doesn’t not being even vaguely European weigh against them in wanting to join the European Union? Well, Israel won the Eurovision song contest… If Canada wanted to join, my WAG is any inconvenient rules would get bent pretty quick to accommodate them (the French would be particularly keen) - Canada would be a nice offset to all those _ahem_ less prosperous countries that have just joined. But why would it? The lack of internal borders within Europe would see the US tighten up the US/Canada border pretty fast - and (again a WAG) the US must be a more important trading partner than Europe. I also doubt the big players in Europe would be keen on giving Canada much political clout. ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-canada-join-the-eu/242915/6 "2004-05-01T04:12:56Z")
Obviously Canada wouldn’t want to. You have to meet all sorts of conditions (market economy, rule of law, etc). But I don’t think the EU rules specify geographic location. Turkey is officially on the waiting list for membership. There has been talk of Morocco/Algeria/Tunisia eventually joining, and Armenia. It looks like the whole utopian mess is going to [unravel](http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9390237%5E2703,00.html) before long, anyway. Maybe the English and French-speaking bits can join Canada. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-canada-join-the-eu/242915/7 "2004-05-01T04:16:40Z")
> [@Capt B. Phart](#): > > and (again a WAG) the US must be a more important trading partner than Europe. For all practical intents and purposes the US is Canada’s only trading partner; it accounts for far more imports and exports than all the rest of the world combined. Conversely, Canada is, by far, the USA’s largest trading partner, but in a plurality, not a majority.