Good morning. Things are looking a little more cozy between Canada and Europe today. More on that below, along with the cost of separation and the benefits of airport privatization.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s bid to forge deeper ties with the European Union has won strong support from the EU’s top official, who called on Canada to become the economic bloc’s first associate member. Something short of full membership still needs to be defined, and may be legally complex. In a speech to the European Parliament Thursday, Carney said a new alliance between Canada and the EU would be a means to protect their sovereignty.

The details: There is currently no such status as “associate member” set out in the European Union’s treaties, although the bloc does have association agreements with more than 20 countries, outlining things such as market access. Here’s an explanation about what it all means.

The politics: Both the Conservatives and the NDP say that Carney should seek Parliament’s approval before joining the EU as an associate member. In fact, the Prime Minister himself steered clear of using the term “member” just a few days ago.

What else: Carney also stopped in England on Wednesday night to meet British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. A source says that Canada and Britain are in talks about merging their separate defence financing initiatives, potentially creating a larger effort backed by more countries.

Keep reading:

• Campbell Clark: A European alliance with more ambition than definition
• Doug Saunders : If Canada joins the European Union show, it will only be from the upper balcony
• Konrad Yakabuski: Closer ties with Canada will not save Europe from a ‘slow agony’ of decline

A report commissioned by the Alberta government estimates that separating from Canada and setting up a new country would cost up to $170-billion over the first five years and lead to significant economic disruption.

Up next: This was the first time the government commissioned an analysis on the financial implications of secession. In less than five weeks, on Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on whether to remain in Canada or lay the legal groundwork for a second, binding secession referendum.

Critics caution that successful airport privatization won’t be easily replicated in Canada. Such a model was proposed at this week’s Canada Investment Summit. Proponents say that travellers could see fewer cancelled flights and more international routes offered by low-cost carriers if Ottawa’s plan follows in the footsteps of other airports around the world.

Summit summary: Canada has a post-Summit glow, writes Tim Kiladze. But the reality is that there are some things a government can’t control, and some crucial ones have affected Canada over the years. Number one on that list: commodity prices.

Transcripts of key recordings that led to the Project South takedown will remain under a publication ban, after an Ontario Superior Court judge ruled that comments attributed to a Toronto police officer charged in the alleged corruption case are so inflammatory that they would deeply offend the public and create an indelible impression on potential jurors.

The context: There was an application by a media consortium, including The Globe and Mail, to make public more than 500 pages of information to obtain documents and warrant applications issued on the eve of the project’s takedown raids in February, which were unsealed in July.