EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

The European Union's president has expressed openness to the possibility of Canada becoming an associate member of the bloc. The statement was made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said that the EU is open to discussing this option with Canada. This comes after the EU-Canada summit, where the two sides discussed a range of topics, including trade, climate change, and economic cooperation. Von der Leyen mentioned that associate membership could be a stepping stone for Canada to eventually become a full member of the EU. However, she also emphasized that this would require significant changes to the EU's treaties and laws. The Canadian government has not yet officially commented on the proposal.