N環球 
Canada-EU draft statement: joint purchase of 50 Canadian water bombers, Galileo plan revealed
The Canadian Press reported Oct. 15 on a draft joint statement prepared for the Oct. 29-30 EU-Canada summit in Montréal: letting Canadian firms bid on European cloud and AI infrastructure contracts, a joint purchase of 50 De Havilland water bombers targeted for 2030, and plans for Canada to join Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system.
Why it matters
The Canadian Press reports it has seen a draft joint statement prepared for the Oct. 29-30 EU-Canada summit in Montréal, laying out concrete steps for Ottawa and Brussels to deepen their partnership. Dubbed an "alliance for the future," the draft would let Canadian companies bid on cloud and artificial-intelligence infrastructure contracts typically reserved for European firms — another step away from dependence on the United States.
Other concrete items: launching plans for Canada to join Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system; completed negotiations on an agreement facilitating European (European Investment Bank) investment in Canadian critical minerals; and a joint purchase of 50 Canadian-made De Havilland water bombers, claimed to be ready for wildfire fighting by 2030. The broader aim is to shore up transatlantic links across trade, education and the military in defence of the "rules-based international order".
Challenges and background
Patrick Leblond, an associate professor of public and international affairs at the University of Ottawa, said the challenge is fending off backlash from the White House and sustaining the relationship beyond the next election cycle: the Americans are playing a power game, and any alliance that reduces dependence on the U.S. will face resistance from the current administration — and potentially future ones.
For background, Prime Minister Mark Carney told the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Sept. 17 that he welcomed the "alliance for the future" idea but insisted any final framework must reinforce Canadian sovereignty and face full parliamentary debate and a vote. Politico published a draft version on Sept. 30 mentioning a Digital Trade Agreement. The end-of-October Montréal summit will be the key test.
💬 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!