Carney to address EU Parliament after Trump says 'membership possible hostile act'

STRASBOURG, France -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will address the European Parliament on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that allowing Canada to become an associate EU member could be a “hostile act."Trump’s comments raised the stakes for Carney’s speech, which will be watched for signs the prime minister may deliver another broadside like his Davos address in January, when he warned that great powers like the United States can use economic dependence to bully smaller ones.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the EU’s first associate member on Wednesday, a striking overture as Trump’s threats drive Ottawa closer to Europe.Speaking in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump threatened to respond to the proposed move by imposing more tariffs on the bloc. Trump conditioned his latest threat on the “intention” of European leaders, saying that, “If it’s a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe.” He also suggested the U.S. could cut off trade with Europe in certain areas.Trump called the prospect of Canada joining the EU “laughable” and called America’s neighbor a “terrible t...