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EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

bbc.com

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Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#381

Post by microtonal »

cmiles8 wrote: post #335
llm_nerd wrote: post #275

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bitter ex? This is amazing. The US is a completely broken country, and simply switching governments will not change that. Without a complete and utter change in how that entire country operates -- including dissolution -- no country should ever normalize relations with it again. The US is by far the world's most dangerous rogue nation. It is a terroristic nation. It is a bully. It not only elected a rapist self-deali…

And how does that make you feel?

Somewhat sad, but also full of opportunities. For instance, in the EU a lot of things are set in motion that used to be taboo, like moving away from US tech, moving away from US weapons, stronger European military integration. Stronger ties with Canada, rebuilding ties with the UK.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#382

Post by LeBit »

bluedino wrote: post #251
cmiles8 wrote: post #158

This would be Canada getting down leveled to the minor leagues. Yes there are a few issues with the US, but Canada is vastly better off playing on the world stage under the wings of the US than it would be as the EU’s “associate member.” The next phase of history is going the be China and the US and then everyone else scrambling for scraps.

They'll be right back in two years

No. The US has shown it is completely unreliable.

Even if Democrats were to be back in power and devote their 4 years to restore things and apologize, that wouldn’t be enough.

Americans have shown they can vote TWICE for a fascist regime that is willing and eager to generate chaos.

Their political system is foobar.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#383

Post by neom »

method_capital wrote: post #320
neom wrote: post #75

No idea what this actually means, if it means easier trade, I'm all for anything that reduces our dependency on the yanks, as long as we don't need to be involved in their regulatory or legal regimes. The Americans are no longer our friends, Salut, mes amis Européens. :)

I'm afraid you're mistaking our lunatic leader with "us". Understandable, but this step will be wholly unnecessary as soon as December when his power will be checked (largely). I lean right, more libertarian small government type, so you're not hearing this from a blowhard on the American left. His foreign policy, the way he's treated friends has been wanton and immensely damaging, and a whole lot of us want this cor…

You're right, I am confused. It was clear what was going on under his first term... You guys voted him back in!!

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#384

Post by mattstir »

shoobiedoo wrote: post #193
cmiles8 wrote: post #158

This would be Canada getting down leveled to the minor leagues. Yes there are a few issues with the US, but Canada is vastly better off playing on the world stage under the wings of the US than it would be as the EU’s “associate member.” The next phase of history is going the be China and the US and then everyone else scrambling for scraps.

And won't the dems just undo all this tariff nonsense anyway? Or is Canada acting like a bitter ex after a breakup who vows to take their seething to the grave no matter what

Canada isn't an abused spouse that's supposed to sit around and wait while their partner magically undoes all of its threats and (economic) violence. "Undoing" the tariffs in a few years won't magically fix the intense economic damage they've caused to Canadian citizens. The US government being forced to pay hundreds of millions of the illegal tariff money back to corporations didn't magically bring prices back down. The US has completely ruined its reputation in the eyes of most Canadians to the point where nearly every single person I know refuses to travel to the US and many refuse to purchase US goods.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#385

Post by mitxela »

charlieyu1 wrote: post #198
dosisking wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You've said a bunch of things that don't really equate to "China already won". There is no path for victory for the US, where it remains the world's reserve currency. China will become the world's reserve currency by 2032. You are simply in denial. Everything that I wrote points to China winning.

This has to be the funniest thing I’ve read for a while. China still has two exchange rates.

So did the US (into gold), once, at a time when it was already the world reserve currency.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#386

Post by toasty228 »

0x10ca1h0st wrote: post #222

If that be the case, maybe we the USA ought to take the UK and Ireland as an associate state of the USA.

> ought to take

No one is taking anything here, but I think the american mind cannot comprehend complex things such as having allied and building agreements

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#387

Post by mschuster91 »

andyferris wrote: post #300
trklausss wrote: post #240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious how an integration into Schengen Area could actually work... Or does it just mean no passport controls? Also, to be able to sell stuff, you gotta comply with the CE rules one way or another, there is no free card here. About competition in Eurovision: absolutely, would love for them to participate, even if just as guest state :D LMAO just googled it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_in_the_Eurovision_…

I think free movement of people doesn’t imply Schengen Zone style borders - I thought this was mostly an economic lever that people can move and work in another country by default, not a human right where a country cannot exclude chosen people (known criminals, etc) and track all crossings. I think of it as another country giving me a visa is opt-out for that country, not opt-in. The CE rules are relatively sane and…

All that Schengen does is dismantle border checkpoints. As a German, I can freely move to any EU country for any purpose - transit, tourism and work - no matter if, say, I were a convict or whatever.

There are expulsions and entry bans even under Schengen, but these are incredibly rare things to happen as the freedom of movement is considered to be a cornerstone of EU values.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#388

Post by fidotron »

teamonkey wrote: post #337
fidotron wrote: post #283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's actually going to raise questions as to why the EU are A-OK with this now when a possible interpretation of associate membership is it's what Cameron was trying to negotiate the UK into when complete inflexibility on the EU side triggered the Brexit referendum. All depends on what an associate member is of course.

I don’t think Cameron did much serious negotiation on this front. He resigned the evening of the referendum results. It was a deliberate choice by his successors to pursue a hard Brexit. A softer Brexit was always possible and likely would have been more acceptable to the EU, as it would have had less financial impact and disruption to trade.

That's what happened afterwards.

The referendum was triggered by a failed negotiation between Cameron and the EU in the first place.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#389

Post by mitxela »

weatherlite wrote: post #223
dosisking wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In what way has "China already won"? The US has depleted their missile stockpile and can no longer defend anybody. Countries in the Middle East are moving away from the US and forming their own alliances. Taiwan knows that the US cannot do anything to help them. South Korea also knows. The US has weaponized the US Dollar, forcing countries out of the SWIFT system if they don't do what they are told. As a result, th…

> China understands better how the economy works, Many people avoid Chinese stocks like the plague because the system is still half communist and as a foreign investor you get some paper in a company on Cayman Island instead of real direct ownership. That keeps me from buying their stocks and I'm not the only one.

China understanding the economy appears to include them understanding that an economy consists of producing and trading goods and services, not a cancerous stock market. You can't invest in their stocks because that would be bad for their economy.

Re: EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

#390

Post by throwaway894345 »

0x10ca1h0st wrote: post #222

If that be the case, maybe we the USA ought to take the UK and Ireland as an associate state of the USA.

If rather see the US stop self-sabotaging by destroying our relationships that established us as the monopole.
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