A draft Canada EU joint statement for the October 29 Montreal summit has now circulated to EU ambassadors, according to reporting based on the document. That moves the relationship from broad political aspirations toward an actual summit package being negotiated. The draft says Canada and the EU can build a “deeper and more comprehensive relationship.” Most importantly for the integration checklist, the draft reportedly includes digital trade, defence, energy, critical minerals, technology, the Arctic and supply-chain security. Canada and the EU plan to accelerate joint critical-mineral investment and, notably, align strategies and standards and explore joint strategic reserves. It also covers AI, quantum technologies, cybersecurity and batteries. There is also a tangible joint procurement project: Ottawa and Brussels reportedly intend to announce the joint acquisition of 50 Canadian-built De Havilland firefighting aircraft for deployment in Canada and Europe beginning around 2030. This is significant because the October summit is increasingly looking like the launch of a multi-sector integration package, rather than simply a discussion about what “associate membership” might mean.