Carney Defends Canada’s Growing Ties With Turkey Amid Concerns Over LGBTQ+ Rights

By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada

23 OCTOBER 2026

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has defended his government’s decision to strengthen relations with Turkey, insisting that closer diplomatic and economic cooperation does not mean Canada endorses policies that conflict with its values, including concerns about the treatment of LGBTQ+ people.

Carney made the remarks on Friday, October 23, while speaking to reporters in Istanbul, following meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara a day earlier. The visit marked the first bilateral visit to Turkey by a sitting Canadian prime minister and resulted in an agreement to elevate relations between the two countries to a strategic partnership.

The prime minister’s comments came amid criticism from human rights advocates over Turkey’s treatment of LGBTQ+ groups, opposition figures and civil society organisations. The concerns have placed Canada’s expanding economic and defence ambitions alongside questions about how Ottawa intends to uphold its human rights commitments when engaging with governments facing criticism over civil liberties.

According to Reuters, Carney said Canadian officials raised LGBTQ+ rights concerns during their meetings with Turkish authorities. He maintained that countries do not need to share all of Canada’s values for diplomatic engagement to take place, while stressing that the nature of a partnership should reflect the extent to which those values are shared.

Canada Raises LGBTQ+ Rights During Talks

Carney’s comments followed criticism of Canada’s approach to Turkey, where government measures affecting LGBTQ+ organisations and public events have drawn objections from rights groups and some European officials.

Turkish authorities have defended their actions by saying they are intended to protect children and uphold family values. Critics, however, argue that restrictions on LGBTQ+ advocacy and the targeting of activists threaten freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

The issue has become more prominent as Ankara faces broader criticism over its treatment of political opposition and independent media.

Carney said Canada raised the rights issue during its discussions with the Turkish government, indicating that Ottawa had not abandoned the subject in pursuit of stronger economic relations.

However, he did not meet with LGBTQ+ or human rights organisations during the visit, according to Reuters. That has left questions about how Canada will maintain direct engagement with civil society groups while deepening its government-to-government relationship with Ankara.

The distinction between raising concerns privately and taking public diplomatic action is significant. While governments can use private discussions to communicate objections, rights organisations may seek more visible measures or specific commitments from international partners.

The Canadian government has not indicated that the new strategic partnership is conditional on Turkey adopting particular LGBTQ+ rights reforms.

Canada and Turkey Establish Strategic Partnership

The rights debate comes as Canada and Turkey move to expand cooperation across several areas, including trade, investment, energy, defence and security.

On October 22, Carney and Erdoğan announced a strategic partnership intended to provide a framework for closer cooperation between the two NATO allies.

The agreement includes plans to develop a three-year action plan and strengthen collaboration between Canadian and Turkish businesses. The leaders also welcomed the launch of the first round of negotiations towards a Canada-Türkiye free trade agreement.

Ministers from the two countries signed agreements covering energy, defence cooperation and air transport. The expanded air transport agreement is intended to improve connectivity and support trade and tourism.

The leaders also welcomed closer cooperation between Export Development Canada and Türkiye’s Eximbank to help companies pursue commercial opportunities in third-country markets.

Carney said the partnership could create new opportunities for workers and businesses in both countries, while Erdoğan described the agreement as a step towards a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two governments have also discussed raising annual bilateral trade from approximately US$3 billion to US$5 billion initially, with a longer-term ambition of reaching US$10 billion.

Although trade between the countries remains relatively small compared with Canada’s commercial relationship with the United States, Ottawa sees Turkey as a potential partner in its efforts to broaden international economic ties.

Energy and Defence at the Centre of Cooperation

Energy is expected to be one of the main areas of future cooperation.

Canadian officials have highlighted opportunities involving liquefied natural gas, critical minerals, civil nuclear energy and emerging energy technologies. Turkey is seeking international investment and expertise as it considers expanding its energy infrastructure, including potential new nuclear power plants.

Canada’s nuclear industry could become relevant to those plans, particularly through the expertise of Canadian engineering and nuclear technology companies.

Defence cooperation is another important part of the partnership. The two countries are exploring opportunities for their defence industries to work together, including in areas involving technology and naval cooperation.

As NATO members, Canada and Turkey share commitments to collective security, although their foreign policy priorities and positions on some international issues differ.

The expanded relationship could create commercial opportunities for Canadian manufacturers and technology companies. It also raises questions about how Ottawa will assess human rights considerations when approving defence exports or entering into security arrangements.

Canada previously restricted certain military exports to Turkey after concerns about the use of Canadian-made optical technology in drones deployed during the 2020 conflict involving Armenia and Azerbaijan. Ottawa later eased those restrictions in 2024.

That history remains relevant to the current debate, particularly for advocates who argue that defence cooperation should be assessed alongside the potential use of military technology and its implications for human rights and international security.

Critics Warn Against Setting Human Rights Aside

The expansion of Canada-Turkey relations has drawn criticism from groups that believe Ottawa should place stronger emphasis on human rights before deepening cooperation.

The Armenian National Committee of Canada has warned that economic and strategic interests should not come at the expense of Canada’s stated principles. Other critics have raised concerns about Turkey’s record on LGBTQ+ rights, political freedoms and the treatment of opposition voices.

Their concern is that a focus on trade and security could weaken the prominence of human rights in Canada’s foreign policy if public criticism is not accompanied by clear expectations or accountability measures.

Carney’s position, by contrast, is that engagement gives Canada an opportunity to raise concerns directly with foreign leaders while pursuing areas of shared interest.

That approach reflects a wider diplomatic question facing governments: whether maintaining close contact and economic cooperation can provide leverage to discuss rights concerns, or whether closer relations risk being interpreted as approval of a partner’s domestic policies.

The effectiveness of either approach depends partly on what follows the diplomatic meetings, including whether concerns are raised consistently, whether concrete commitments are secured and whether governments respond when rights conditions deteriorate.

Why the Visit Matters to Canada’s Trade Strategy

Carney’s trip to Turkey is part of a broader Canadian effort to diversify its economic relationships and reduce its dependence on the United States.

The United States remains Canada’s largest trading partner, but tensions over tariffs and trade policy have encouraged Ottawa to seek opportunities in other markets.

Turkey offers potential opportunities in energy, aerospace, mining, defence manufacturing and infrastructure. Its strategic position between Europe and Asia also gives it a role in regional transport and commercial networks.

However, building a deeper economic relationship will take time. The proposed free trade agreement still requires negotiations, and the announced partnership will need to be translated into practical projects, investment decisions and commercial agreements.

The diplomatic benefits must also be weighed against the challenges associated with differing approaches to human rights, governance and regional security.

For Canadian businesses, the partnership could open new opportunities. For the government, it creates a need to balance economic diversification with public expectations that Canada will continue to speak about fundamental freedoms.

What Happens Next?

Canada and Turkey are expected to continue discussions on trade, energy, defence and other areas under the new strategic partnership. Negotiations towards a free trade agreement will be an important next step in determining whether the two countries can expand commercial ties.

The Canadian government will also face continued scrutiny over how it addresses human rights concerns as cooperation deepens.

Carney’s statement that engagement does not equal approval sets out his government’s position, but the practical test will be how Canada follows up on the concerns it says it raised during the visit.

That could include continued diplomatic discussions, engagement with civil society and the consideration of human rights in decisions involving trade, security and defence exports.

For now, the visit marks a significant step in Canada’s relationship with Turkey. Whether the partnership can deliver its promised economic and security benefits while maintaining Canada’s stated commitments to human rights will remain a central question as the two countries put their new framework into practice.