TORONTO - Abandoned grain silos may not seem like an obvious place for a diplomatic mission. But for the Delegation of the European Union to Canada, it served as a perfect blank canvas on which to showcase shared priorities between this country and the economic bloc. “We want to reinforce the connection between the Canadian and European,” said Geneviève Tuts, the EU’s Ambassador to Canada. “In my view, culture and art should be part of this conversation.” The Canada Malting Silos are former malting towers that sit unused at the base of Toronto’s Bathurst Street along Lake Ontario. But on Saturday, those two towers came to life, as two art installations were projected onto the structures for Toronto’s Nuit Blanche Festival, an annual art celebration that transforms the nighttime city into a giant exhibition space. Presented by the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) University and the EU Delegation, the two works featured images that explore nature and the impacts of climate change. They are works that explore a shared human experience, as well as an opportunity for the EU to help bring that art to a Canadian public. “I was in Strasbourg two weeks ago, and I had the chance to listen carefully to our two leaders, and they were determined and committed to build, as we say, a new partnership. And this new partnership will cover a wide range of topics,” said Tuts. “This is not just about economic issues or trade issues or digital. This is also about people-to-people ties.” It’s the kind of language that’s getting more attention these days. Just last month, the European Commission president invited Canada to explore becoming the first associate member of the EU. It’s not clear what associate membership would look like, since it is not an established status within the political and economic bloc. But Prime Minister Mark Carney accepted the invitation, open to deepening economic and security ties with the European Union but also stating he’s not seeking membership. Rather, Carney says he’s looking for a unique alliance. However, the relationship is defined, Canada and the European Union are already working more closely together, drawn together by the defence of Ukraine and decisions made by the United States since the re-election of Donald Trump. A shifting alliance “The United States, which pushed that multilateral system after the Second (World) War has pulled out of it,” said Jeremy Kinsman, Canada’s former ambassador to the EU from 2002 to 2006. “They’re not supporters of it. In fact, they’re resentful of the European Union’s multilateralism.” It was that past commitment to multilateralism and the liberal democratic order that led Europe and Canada to rely on the United States as a security backstop. But that relationship has changed, and the shift extends beyond defence. The Trump administration has also upended U.S. trade policy, imposing tariffs on products from both friends and foes. “The events of the last two years — and call them Trump — have focused everybody on the value of this relationship,” Kinsman said. Deepening economic ties Over the past year, Canada and European partners have taken steps to deepen their economic ties. Canada has signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase submarines from German defence company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. European buyers have also expressed interest in purchasing more water bombers from Canadian aircraft manufacturer De Havilland, while German energy company Uniper has finalized a deal to buy liquefied natural gas from the future Ksi Lisims LNG project in British Columbia. First deliveries are expected in 2032. Those developments underscore a point Kinsman says should guide the debate over the future of Canada-EU relations, regardless of whether Canada becomes an associate member. “What is going to determine this relationship is not what it’s called, and it’s not all the words to describe why we need the relationship,” he said. “It’s going to be concrete evidence of real capital projects, you know, between the two countries. And we’re doing them.” The evolving relationship will come into sharper focus later this month. Global Affairs Canada says Carney will welcome von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa to Montreal on Oct. 29 for a two-day summit. There is already speculation that the leaders could announce agreements aimed at strengthening co-operation on critical minerals, supply chains and low-carbon energy. “We have a lot to do together. We are sharing the same values. We are two democratic countries. We are respecting fundamental laws, the rule of law,” Tuts said. “We are fighting for multilateralism.” Those shared ideals are helping Canada and Europe find common ground on a growing number of fronts — including an art project that lit up Toronto’s waterfront.
