Von der Leyen will say in Wednesday’s State of the Union that the EU and Canada
plan a new trade-and-security alliance and she wants relations with Canada
raised to the highest possible level. Canadian Prime Minister Carney will attend
and speak Thursday. Carney’s government, hit economically by a US trade war, has
made deepening ties with the EU a priority and is open to arrangements short of
membership. Sources say Canada’s priorities include completing ratification of
CETA, negotiated a decade ago but still not formally approved by ten EU
countries.