EU walks back associate membership title for Canada

Marina, some mixed signals here. Definitely. Sources that I've spoken to say this associate membership name has been divisive. Some countries did not like it. In particular, Germany felt that it was a red line. I did get a copy of a draft joint statement with Canada and the EU that the memberships of the EU just finalized. Now, sources tell us that the associate membership term was removed. Now they're just calling it an ever-closer association short of full membership itself. And there's been a lot of confusion ever since European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she wanted to make Canada this associate member. And despite EU member states opposing it, she's still using the title, posting on social media, Rarely have I looked forward to a summit this much. We have a new ambition, bringing Canada closer to us than ever before as associate member of the EU. Now, Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with her here in Montreal. all he has repeatedly said the name doesn't really matter to Canada it's about the substance this is the launch of further formal discussions negotiations over the course of the next year the good news is it doesn't matter about specific names or nomenclature what matters is the difference that it will make to lives of Canadians now von der Leyen can suggest whatever she wants but ultimately it's the EU member states that get to decide about associate membership not her and And while they all agree they want closer ties with Canada, they don't seem to want this title. And what can we expect over the next few days? Well, meetings of, you know, von der Leyen, Prime Minister Carney, EU officials and briefings that really have been hammering out these deeper ties within the next year. Based on statements, there are dozens of items they want to coordinate on. Education, research, energy, shared infrastructure and cyber security. Also preparing for more threats for everything from pandemics to natural disasters. Marie-Ève van Stackelberg in Montreal.