As EU and Canada light global democratic beacon, UK must rally to that cause

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney greets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after delivering a speech at the European Parliament (Picture: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen) | AFP via Getty Images

As Donald Trump continues his egregious policy of waging economic cold war on the democratic world, it is no surprise that Canada, which he so covets as the 51st US state, is seeking closer ties with the European Union.

Addressing the European Parliament, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney suggested proposals for his country to become the EU’s first associate member could create “an alliance strong enough so that no one can dictate our choices; an alliance open enough that others can join; an alliance principled enough that our strength reinforces international law rather than replaces it”.

He was not, he stressed, proposing a third “great-power rival – only with better manners”. Instead, the EU-Canada alliance would be defined not by “what we opposed” but by “what we are for: freedom, solidarity, prosperity, sustainability”.

The Scotsman has written about the need for a global ‘Democratic League’. We should not allow mere geography to constrain our politics. Instead, values must.

And if the EU and Canada are about to light what Carney called “a beacon for other democracies”, the UK must answer their call to arms and rally to that cause.