Canada Risks Losing Sovereignty to EU Regulatory Machine

Mark Carney's recent speech to the European Parliament has sent alarm bells ringing across Canada and beyond. In it, he praised the EU's power to impose rules and standards that the world often adopts, known as the 'Brussels Effect'. This has raised concerns among Canadian provinces, particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan, about closer integration with the EU.

The EU has invited Canada to discuss becoming an 'associate member' of the EU, a newly invented category just for Canada. Carney accepted the invitation, indicating that Canada is prepared to accept the EU's 'four freedoms': free movement of goods, services, people, and capital.

This would mean adopting 170,000 pages of EU laws, rules, and regulations, which could have significant implications for Canada's economy and sovereignty. The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan may retain their titles and press conferences, but their real power will be gutted as they become administrators for a distant bureaucracy in Brussels.

The implications for western provinces would be profound, with oil, natural gas, and coal facing legal restrictions, tighter emission rules, methane limits, and financing restrictions. Mining would also be governed by European sustainability classifications and due-diligence requirements.