EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member' • Hacker News Board

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

#701

Post by ricardobayes » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:02 PM UTC

lII1lIlI11ll wrote: post #563

fidotron wrote: post #355

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the other part: if associate membership is a thing then won't half of the EU start thinking that's their future?

> This is the other part: if associate membership is a thing then won't half of the EU start thinking that's their future? Presumably by "half of the EU" you mean (sometimes) euro-sceptic states like Hungary or Poland? Well, these are not in EU because some illuminati/lizard people tricked them into joining and now won't allow them to leave, like some of their politicians would like you to believe, but because they e…

I would like to make a slight correction: the hungarian public opinion was never, ever euro-sceptic. This was one of the major reason the previous government was voted out, because they didn't reflect the will of the people. Opinion polls regularly poll 70-80% of EU approval despite being decade-long propaganda trying to change peoples' minds, making Hungary de facto one of the most pro-EU countries in EU.

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

#702

Post by bryanlarsen » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:02 PM UTC

gizajob wrote: post #687

bryanlarsen wrote: post #682

Earlier quoted context omitted.

44% of Canadians support re-opening immigration; I'm willing to bet that a larger number would support immigration from EU nations.

So you’re saying 56% of Canadians would vote No?

> I'm willing to bet that a larger number would support immigration from EU nations.

Especially if it was a reciprocal right.

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

#703

Post by SyneRyder » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:02 PM UTC

rsynnott wrote: post #583

SyneRyder wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, being a European Broadcasting Union (EBU) "Associate Member" is the name for the mechanism that allowed Australia, Canada and other countries to be admitted into Eurovision. If you've been around the ESC scene, you know there's a lot of embassy involvement (parties in embassies are a thing), the scene is catnip for those interested in politics, the politically active, and to some extent politicians. Eurovision…

> Eurovision Asia _Terrible_ naming.

You'd think so, and I intuitively agree.

But the concept has floated around for over a decade under several different project names - Asiavision, Our Sound, ABU Song Contest. Somehow "Eurovision Asia" is the one that got countries to sign on and participate. There's a stronger political statement in Asian countries participating in "Eurovision" than in "Our Sound". It surprises me, but 2026 has brought a lot of global cultural & political shifts.

The American version was "The American Song Contest", hosted by Snoop Dogg & Kelly Clarkson, with US states competing against each other. Most Americans don't even know it ever happened.

Russia has its own rival "Intervision Song Contest", which the US participates in. Something something global cultural shifts.

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

#704

Post by pyrale » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:02 PM UTC

AlexandrB wrote: post #663

pyrale wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One thing that is common about middle democracies is that prioritize a bureaucratic elite structure over an entrepreneurship culture No, that's just the 2010s propaganda fed to you by people who assert that not letting them do whatever they want is "bureaucratic". These very same people are completely fine lobbying legislature for more moat when they benefit from it. The difference between "middle democracies" or w…

You clearly don't pay attention to Canadian politics. Canada basically let McKinsey run their immigration policy[1][2] for 10 years and has now appointed the former CEO of McKinsey[3] to a business development role in government. I wouldn't say that Canada is just a satellite office of McKinsey, but it's getting closer. Canada is corrupt as hell, just no one cares so it doesn't make international news. Edit: Oh yeah,…

> Canada is corrupt as hell, just no one cares so it doesn't make international news.

So is Europe. It's just not at the point the US reached, yet.

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

#705

Post by foldr » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:03 PM UTC

fidotron wrote: post #648

antalis wrote: post #586

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've got it wrong: "After the deal had been approved, Cameron described it as giving the United Kingdom "special status within the European Union" and immediately declared that both he and the UK Government would campaign for a "Remain" vote in the referendum within a "reformed European Union"." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%932016_United_Kingd...

There's no planet on which Cameron's visit that time was regarded by anyone on any side as anything other than a failure. Cameron was simply putting a face on it. It has pissed off the EU (understandably), pissed off his own supporters, and pissed off his enemies.

The point is that the referendum was an unconditional 2015 Conservative manifesto promise, and was going to happen anyway, regardless of how Cameron's renegotiations with the EU went (sources here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49726666)

The outcome of the negotiations may have affected the course of the Leave and Remain campaigns, but it was not the trigger for the referendum itself.

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

#706

Post by rsynnott » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:03 PM UTC

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…

Yep; Ireland, say, has free movement, but is not in Schengen (the border with NI would make it virtually impossible).

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

#707

Post by mitxela » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:03 PM UTC

amelius wrote: post #458

mitxela wrote: post #421

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, not every decision made in Europe can be vetoed by any EU member state. Only EU decisions can be vetoed by EU member states.

This was implicit :(

Not really! People think everything is about the EU, but that's like an American thinking everything is a UN decision.

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

#708

Post by MrNoisegor » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:04 PM UTC

Yeah no, run from this dumpster fire, the EU from inside is a disaster, an organization from the Germany for the German interest, and a buffer zone for the US.

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

#709

Post by mitxela » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:04 PM UTC

softwaredoug wrote: post #467

mitxela wrote: post #461

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you propose forcing 27 groups of people to become 1 group just so it's easier to sell them things? Culture in Europe is more on sustainable business rather than hypergrowth, but you can expand to other countries too. You just have to have a business strategy catering to all the groups you want to cater to. I think it's good the supermarket chains in France and in Germany are mostly disjoint sets, it keeps competit…

I’m just telling you the tradeoffs you’ve chosen. You can’t be an economic superpower in the current regime. Without your own “hypergrowth” you’ll always be dominated by the hypergrowth of competitors like the US and China. You’ll be in orbit of other powers instead of creating your own gravity. Where am I wrong?

I don't think they are bad tradeoffs. I think there are problems that need to be fixed, and plenty of room for improvement, but the core principles are fine.

Do you know what else focuses on hypergrowth, in biology?

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

#710

Post by chunky1994 » Wed, Sep 16, 2026, 2:04 PM UTC

bryanlarsen wrote: post #492

bko wrote: post #435

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was surprised to learn that Canada doesn't even have free trade across their own provenances. A big benefit of the United States is that it's essentially a very large free trade zone across 50 states. If Canada wanted to facilitate trade, I would imagine they would figure it out internally. So my guess is that this is just giving up some political autonomy for some unknown reason, maybe to stick it to the US?

The biggest trade barriers between Canadian provinces are labor licensing laws. The biggest trade barriers between American states are labor licensing laws. The second biggest trade barriers between Canada provinces are liquor regulations. The second biggest trade barriers between American states are likely car emission laws. Fairly comparable, IMO.

The problem is the differences are asymmetric. Canadian labour mobility is a lot more impactful when the pool of skilled labour is just overall smaller.

Doctors can move pretty much freely between 44 American states. Doctors can't do that in Canada, and here we need more specific kinds of doctors in rural populations and there is absolutely no reason to not have a harmonized licensing regime.

We also have non-uniform regulation on stuff like the manufacture of construction goods (for example door sizing) which can cause a big drag in trade. This might be harder to fix but it exists and is not comparable to the US market.