Canada’s expanding defence ties with Turkey spark outrage

(Horizon Media / OTTAWA) – Canada’s growing defence partnership with Turkey has sparked serious concern within the Armenian-Canadian community, following remarks by Canada’s Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr describing Ankara as a “trusted partner” and “valuable ally” during SAHA Expo 2026 in Istanbul.

In interviews with Defense News, Fuhr outlined Ottawa’s intention to rapidly expand defence and industrial cooperation with Turkey, particularly in the fields of drones, counter-drone systems, ammunition production and autonomous technologies. He praised Turkey’s defence industry as one of the few “mature and largely independent” military-industrial ecosystems in the world and suggested Ankara’s experience could serve as a model for Canada.

The statements have raised alarm given Canada’s previous arms restrictions against Turkey following the 2020 Artsakh war, during which Canadian-made drone technology was illegally diverted to Azerbaijan and used in attacks that caused widespread destruction and civilian deaths.

Fuhr appeared to dismiss those past controversies, stating that during his meetings in Turkey, “Nobody’s raised any past information,” adding that both sides were focused on “how we can work together moving forward.”

The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) reacted strongly to the developments in a social media statement, expressing “serious concern” over Fuhr’s remarks and the prospect of renewed Canada–Turkey military cooperation.

“Past experience has clearly demonstrated otherwise,” the ANCC stated, recalling that “in 2020, Turkey illegally diverted Canadian-manufactured drone avionics to Azerbaijan during the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) war, contributing to the deaths of innocent civilians and devastating consequences for the Armenian people.”

The organization added that “any renewed military-industrial cooperation with Turkey raises profound ethical, security, and accountability concerns,” stressing that it “strongly opposes these developments and will continue to monitor them closely.”

The renewed push for military ties comes as Ottawa seeks to strengthen relations with so-called “middle powers” amid shifting global alliances. Fuhr also revealed that discussions are underway regarding a possible Canada–Turkey free trade agreement, while Canadian and Turkish defense firms have already begun signing cooperation agreements during the expo.

Critics argue that Canada’s apparent willingness to deepen military ties with Ankara signals a troubling readiness to overlook Turkey’s record during the 2020 war and broader regional destabilization concerns in pursuit of strategic and industrial interests.