Canada raises LGBTQ+ concerns with Turkey during prime minister's first visit

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, on his first official visit to Turkey, said his delegation raised concerns over LGBTQ+ rights in meetings with Turkish authorities. The talks followed a deal with President Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara to upgrade bilateral ties to a strategic partnership. Carney stressed that diplomatic engagement allows Canada to voice its expectations directly, without signaling approval of Turkey's policies.

He highlighted that only a small number of countries share Canada's standards for individual liberty. The visit occurs amid a Turkish crackdown on LGBTQ+ groups, which the government claims protects children and family values. While rights groups have criticized the arrests since September, Ankara maintains its judiciary is independent. Carney did not meet any representatives of LGBTQ+ or human-rights organisations while in the country.