Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday debunked a narrative that Canada sought to form a new bloc to dominate existing ones.

The statement comes as Canada sought admittance to the European Union as an associate member and President Donald Trump’s reaction to the news.

“I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival only with better manners,” Mr Carney told EU legislators in Strasbourg, France. “We do not seek power to dominate others.”

He said his nation only sought to enforce sovereignty to ensure that Canada’s open markets was not under any other nation’s authority.

“On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten territorial integrity or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law,” Mr Carney said.

Mr Carney advocated an alliance between the continent and Canada, saying it would benefit all parties involved.

He said, “Europe and Canada are stronger together. A Canada-EU alliance would create a beacon for other democracies.”

He also suggested that Canadians be allowed to participate in the European-sponsored Erasmus academic programmes and scholarships.

“We should deepen our people-to-people ties, allowing our youth to live, work and study where they want on either side of the Atlantic,” he added.

Already, Mr Trump threatened to impose sanctions on the 27-member states of the EU should he detect hostility behind the bloc’s offer to admit Canada as an associate member.