Carney Signs Turkey Pact, Rejects U.S. Meddling Claims
The Canadian prime minister defended human rights engagement while dismissing accusations from Washington ahead of the Nov. 3 vote.
By Hassan Ellis ·
Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a strategic partnership with Turkey on Friday while rejecting separate accusations from Washington that Canadian leaders interfered in U.S. midterm elections. Carney dismissed those claims as meritless, expressing disappointment that the U.S. envoy had raised them. The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa released a fact sheet on Thursday formally accusing Canadian leaders of election meddling ahead of the Nov. 3 vote.
The agreement with President Recep Erdogan's government arrived amid criticism from human rights groups. Those complaints intensified this month after Turkish authorities carried out operations that critics said targeted opposition voices, independent journalism, and marginalized groups. Carney defended his approach as values-based realism, arguing that engagement does not constitute endorsement. "Engagement in those partnerships does not mean approval," Carney said Friday, adding, "There are very few countries in this world that have the standards of Canada."
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand discussed human rights with her Turkish counterpart during Thursday's meetings. Journalists asked whether Carney raised those issues directly with Erdogan, but he declined to provide specifics, noting only that he has raised the matters. Carney's visit to Turkey forms part of Ottawa's effort to reduce reliance on the U.S. market by diversifying trade partners across Europe and the Indo-Pacific, a strategy that has also included deals with states such as Saudi Arabia.
Following political talks in Ankara, Carney met with business leaders in Istanbul. One item under discussion involves the sale of Canadian nuclear technology to Turkey as the country pursues its climate targets. Carney told reporters after signing the partnership that there were "good chances" Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRealis would be selected to build two power plants Turkey plans to construct. Canada's deep diplomatic and commercial ties to the United States were cited by Carney as evidence that Ottawa is careful to avoid interfering in democratic processes.
