Nick Beake
Europe correspondent, in Brussels

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Bretherton in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada asks: What potential is there for Canada to join the EU as a
result of actual and threatened US hostility?

On paper, in
normal times, there’s zero potential for Canada to join the EU. But these
aren’t normal times and President Trump has ripped up the rule book.

While we see
Australia performing in Eurovision, and Kazakhstan attempting to qualify for
European football tournaments, the geographical rules for EU membership are much
tighter.

In short, you
have to be a “European” country.

So while that
definition has been applied to the likes of Ukraine, Turkey and Moldova and
other prospective members, arguing Canada is on Europe’s periphery is a
stretch.

However,
Europe’s leaders are now talking in the starkest language about the need for
like-minded allies to take radical action. Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau has appeared at meetings of key Europe’s leaders in recent
weeks, including the London summit.

If for a
moment we look beyond Canada’s indisputable North American location, the
country does indeed tick box after box under the so-called Copenhagen Criteria
for new EU members.

This requires potential members to have rule of law, stable
democratic institutions, human rights, a functioning market economy, and to agree
to follow EU laws.

For what it’s
worth, Canada is neighbours with Denmark (in the form of Greenland) and its
citizens speak French and English – the two principle working languages of the
EU.

Crucially
though, the EU’s membership rules would have to be totally overhauled to let
the Canadians in, if they so desired.

So while your
question Mark may have got a quick “no” answer a month ago, it probably doesn’t
seem quite as far-fetched in today’s new reality.

But of course, Trump says the EU itself is in line for tariffs – so even if
Canada were to magically join tomorrow, it may not escape them.