Key facts
- Canada raised LGBTQ+ rights issues during meetings with Turkey's government.
- Canada and Turkey agreed to upgrade ties to a strategic partnership.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday that his team had raised issues over LGBTQ+ rights during meetings held with the Turkish government a day earlier. Carney, who is holding the first bilateral visit to Turkey by a Canadian leader, was speaking to reporters in Istanbul after agreeing with President Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara to upgrade ties to a strategic partnership. He added that Ottawa's engagement in partnerships does not mean approval of policies that differ from Canada's standards. Turkey's government says its actions targeting LGBTQ+ groups aim to protect children and family values, while rights groups and some European officials have criticized the crackdown.