Should Canada join the EU?

The Europeans | European news, politics and culture

Katy Lee and Dominic Kraemer

Society & Culture, News

4.8 • 274 Ratings

🗓️ 20 March 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Europe and Canada have a lot in common, from their headaches over Donald Trump to a shared belief in welfare states. If Australia can be a part of Eurovision, is there anything stopping us from welcoming our Canadian friends into the EU?! This week we talk to Stanley Pignal, The Economist's semi-Canadian Brussels bureau chief, about what would be in it for both sides. We're also looking at the escalating political crisis in Bosnia, and the places in Europe where you're likely to live the longest. You can read Stanley's article about the case for Canadian EU membership here and find his Charlemagne column on European politics here. He posts on Bluesky here. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy our podcasts, we'd love it if you'd consider supporting our work. You can chip in to help us cover the weekly research and production of The Europeans at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/europeanspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (many currencies are available), or gift a donation to a super fan here. We'd also love it if you could tell two friends about this podcast! This podcast was brought to you in cooperation with Euranet Plus, the leading radio network for EU news. This week's Inspiration Station recommendations: 'The Agency' and writing a letter to a Russian political prisoner via OVD-Info (an initiative discovered via this essay in The Dial by Francesca Mastruzzo). Other resources for this week's episode 'The Economics Show' podcast by the Financial Times: 'Can societies age gracefully?' - January 13, 2025 https://www.ft.com/content/8ce0571d-06f0-40de-8579-4446d1fb07f3 'The EU needs a proactive approach in Bosnia' - editorial in Politico Europe by Arminka Helić, March 17, 2025 https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-bosnia-western-balkans-europe-war-bih-crisis-serbia/ 00:34 Spring Is Real02:50 Good Week: Europeans are living longer15:00 Bad Week: Bosnia and Herzegovina28:54 Interview: Stanley Pignal on the case for Canadian EU membership45:38 The Inspiration Station: The Agency and letters to Russian political prisoners50:46 Happy Ending: Germany's economy could be wurst Producers: Morgan Childs and Wojciech Oleksiak Mixing and mastering: Wojciech OleksiakMusic: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina YouTube | Bluesky | Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Mastodon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | [email protected]

Transcript

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0:00.0	This podcast has been produced in cooperation with Uranet Plus, the podcast that seeks to reflect on Europe's place in the increasingly scary world that we find ourselves in, while also trying to give you some kind of refuge from that scary world at the same time.
0:48.1	Is that a good summary of our show right now?
0:49.8	Yes, it's very good, but I'm mainly scared because I was late for this recording.
0:53.5	Most unlike you, Dominic Kramer. Yeah, I hate being late. I'm so sorry. I thought it was half an hour later. Happy birthday, Nicco. Happy birthday! How are you? How's life in Paris?
1:11.6	It's good. I haven't really got much to report, really.
1:14.6	I've been enjoying spring.
1:16.6	The season usually passes me by.
1:18.6	In my mind, it kind of goes from being freezing cold to me noticing one day.
1:22.6	Oh, hang on a second. It's really uncomfortably hot right now.
1:25.6	Oh, yes, that's because it's July.
1:28.0	And I don't know if it's just the state of the world right now,
1:30.6	but this year I find myself really appreciating, like, the blossom appearing on the trees
1:35.6	and the cold, sunny days that we've been enjoying.
1:38.3	Become a romantic.
1:39.6	Spring is real. It's a real distinct season, guys, I've discovered.
1:43.4	It definitely is. I'm glad you're finally noticing it because it's the most wonderful time of the year.
1:48.9	Oh, I'm an autumn gal. But anyway, enough. Basic weather chat. What's coming up on the show this week?
1:54.3	Well, later on in the show, we're going to be asking a question. I didn't think we'd ever be asking on this show.
2:00.4	Should Canada become the 28th member of the European Union?
2:05.7	It's an idea that until just a few months ago,
2:08.4	seemed like an entirely fantastical idea.
2:11.0	And honestly, it probably is still fantastical,
	...

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