European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says international order is in decay and she is working to create “an alliance for the future” that begins with Canada. She said the alliance would unite Europe with Canada to form strategic supply chains , mentioning raw materials such as critical minerals , semiconductor chips, artificial intelligence and more. “We have two options here,” she said during a speech in Montreal on Wednesday. “To go it alone, to see this as a zero-sum game where each country or economy focuses on building up its own leverage or its own capabilities with the result that everyone feels less secure and more isolated. Or we can take a more strategic approach with trusted partners that face the same challenges, but have different assets to respond.” In her vision, von der Leyen said the strategic supply chain would marry Canada’s resources, such as its mining sector, with Europe’s industrial demand, technology and investment. She also said Canada can never fully join the EU because of its geographical location, but closer ties can benefit both countries. Canadian exports of cobalt, lithium, nickel and graphite — all considered battery metals — to the EU increased 62 per cent as measured by value, she said. In raw numbers, exports increased by $5.2 billion. Von der Leyen said she would finalize a deal on Friday to bring Canada into Europe’s infrastructure for supercomputing. Europe has some of the most advanced supercomputers in the world, she said. and joining forces would advance artificial intelligence development. Last month, two artificial intelligence companies, Canada’s Cohere Inc. and Germany’s Aleph Alpha GmbH, announced plans to form a combined entity valued at roughly $20 billion, with dual headquarters in Toronto and Berlin, Germany. Von der Leyen also said there is an opportunity for military cooperation, particularly in the Arctic, where ice sheets are melting and opening up new trade routes. “This is a moment of extraordinary opportunity, but it is also a difficult moment,” she said. “On both sides of the Atlantic, our citizens feel the strain. Many fear the future, what it will mean for their livelihoods, their families and communities. But difficult moments also show us who we are, what we stand for and who stands with us.” What would being an ‘associate member’ of the EU mean for the Canadian economy and businesses?Europe has the missing piece of the critical minerals puzzle that Canada needs • Email: gfriedman@postmedia.com
Canada and EU can form strategic supply chains, European Commission president says
