Von der Leyen blindsides EU with Canada ‘associate member’ pitch

BRUSSELS — Ursula von der Leyen wanted to make a splash in her big speech. Instead, the European Commission president’s audacious offer of making Canada the EU’s first “associate member” has created a major diplomatic headache. The idea was not run past European capitals in advance and has caused considerable confusion, four diplomats told POLITICO. Ottawa also appears to be distancing itself from the label — hours before Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to give his own speech to the European Parliament. Von der Leyen dropped the bombshell proposal during her State of the Union address Wednesday, directly addressing Carney from the floor of the Parliament.