ABSTRACT
As a former part of the British Empire, Canada has retained close cultural, economic and political ties to the United Kingdom (UK). This postcolonial relationship has been one of the main factors that has shaped Canadian perceptions of the European Union (EU). Brexit may lead to a reconfiguration of these perceptions. This chapter examines how Brexit has been debated in Canada, focusing on contributions by leading politicians. It argues that Brexit has resulted in an increasing politicization of the Canada–Europe relationship within Canadian political discourse, with fault lines running between Canada’s main political parties, the traditionally multilateralist Liberals and the more UK/Commonwealth-focused Conservatives. The result for Canada may be the emergence of two competing visions of the transatlantic relationship, each based on its own specific perception of the EU, whose relative influence on public policy depends on short-term political factors.
