Prime Minister Mark Carney’s balancing act began Thursday as he and Turkish President Recep Erdogan unveiled a strategic partnership focused on enhancing trade and defence collaboration.
This marks another development in the improving relations between the two countries and an important step in Carney’s initiative to strengthen ties with other middle-power nations.
Carney called Turkey an “exceptional” partner.
“No country builds strength alone,” he stated during a joint announcement at the expansive presidential palace complex.
“The most resilient countries bring together complementary strengths with trusted partners. Our goal isn’t self-sufficiency. It is collective resilience. That’s why Canada is building deeper partnerships with reliable partners that create new opportunities for Canadians.”
The new partnership consists of four key areas – trade and investment, defence and security, energy, and people-to-people connections.
Next month, negotiators will meet in Ankara for the initial round of free trade discussions. Additionally, the agreement includes a new arrangement on defence industry cooperation that will enhance connectivity between Canadian and Turkish businesses.
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson, seen here in Ottawa on July 16, will accompany Carney for talks with Turkish officials. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
The partnership will also open doors for investments in energy and critical minerals sectors. Furthermore, both countries will finalize an air transport agreement to increase passenger flights between them.
This bilateral visit marks the first for a Canadian prime minister amid concerns from human rights organizations regarding Turkey’s recent crackdown on dissenting voices and civil society groups, including actions against 2SLGBTQ+ and HIV advocacy organizations.
“The prime minister has been very clear. We need to engage with the world as it is, not the way we wish it to be,” said Energy Minister Tim Hodgson before the trip. He will join Carney for discussions with Turkish officials.
People run from police during a march supporting transgender rights during 2SLGBTQ+ Pride week in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 21. (Dilara Acikgoz/The Associated Press)
“Where we have differences of opinion, we discuss those in private.”
Carney aims to diversify Canada’s trade to reduce dependence on the United States. So far, much of this effort has focused on strengthening relationships with Europe and nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
Turkey is viewed as a key ally due to its NATO membership and growing defense industrial sector when it comes to trade and military production fronts, according to Thomas Juneau from the University of Ottawa, who specializes in Middle Eastern studies.
“What the Carney government seems to be deciding is not limiting diversification efforts solely to democracies or countries that have positive human rights records,” noted Juneau.</P
Turkey has grown more authoritarian under Erdogan’s leadership since he became president in 2014.</P
“This presents a challenging moral dilemma for Canada; however, it seems that if Canada chooses only democracies for diversification efforts, there would be limited success.”</P
After arriving in Ankara on Thursday,Carney visited Anitkabir, which is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s Mausoleum-the founder and first president of modern Turkey.
The structure along with its vast grounds covering 750,000 square meters are well-kept,featuring Peace Park filledwith thousands of plants including Canadian maples along with Monument Block.Carney laid a wreath at this monument.
(Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)</ pTurkey plans significantlyto expand its energy capacity overthe coming decades aimingfor about20 gigawattsnuclear powerby2050.
To achieve thisgoal, Ottawaand Ankara are saidto be formingaworkinggroup explorethe feasibilityofa bidby Canada’s Candu nuclearteamto assistin constructing Turkey’s secondorthirdnuclearpowerplant
Carney pays his respects after laying awreathduringaceremonyat Anıtkabir, the Mausoleumo Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in Ankara.(Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) P >
Hodgson declinedtocommentonthepossibilityofthatdeal
Sevag Belian, theexecutivedirectorof Armenian National Committeeof Canada, saysany nuclearagreementwith Turkeydeservescloseexamination
He referencedprevious tensionsbetweenbothnations leadingto Canada imposingadefacto arms embargo, muchofwhichwasmostlylifted2024. The liftingthosemeasureswaswhat Erdoganrequestedfrom Trudeau’sgovernmentinexchangeforsupporting Sweden’s NATOMembership
” Thefalloutbegan2020when Turkishauthoritiesappliedforexcemptionrelatedtoimportation Wescamtargetacquisitiongearused Turkey’s Bayraktardrones”
<PCLASS=“PARAGRAPHEUR- “Weknowfromdiscloseddocumentsthattheyhadindicatedtheycouldbeusingthefewcamerastheyreceivedthroughthisexemptionforreconnaissanceactivitiesrelated NATOoperationsinnorther Syria”said Belian
<PCLASS=“PARAGRAPHEUR- “Butthenweknowthatthesecameraswerelaterdivertedillegallyto Azerbaijanandwereusedinthewartime Nagorno”
Thiswasestablishedparliamentaryinvestigationshowingclearlyliesfrom Turkishside”said Belian. PREPLACE
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