Mark Carney, a well-known former bank leader, has a big idea. He thinks Canada should become an 'associate member' of the European Union, or EU. The EU is a group of many countries in Europe that work together on trade and laws.

Being an 'associate member' would mean Canada and the EU would be much closer partners. They would trade goods more easily and work together more often on global issues.

However, this plan has caused a lot of drama. Donald Trump, the U.S. President-elect, is strongly against the idea.

Trump even joked that he wanted Canada to be the 51st state of the U.S. instead. Because he doesn't like this move toward Europe, he is now threatening to put new taxes, called tariffs, on goods coming from both the EU and Canada. A tariff is basically a fee you pay to the government when you bring products into a country from somewhere else.

Carney says that Canada and the EU are 'stronger together.' He believes this partnership is good for the economy.

Meanwhile, critics are worried. Some writers think this is a bad idea that will only lead to trouble with the U.S., which is Canada's biggest neighbor and trading partner.

Right now, everyone is waiting to see if this plan will actually happen or if the pressure from Trump will stop it before it even begins.

Source: AP News