In the latest round of “any-partner-but-the-US”, Prime Minister Mark Carney made another of his expensive and headline-grabbing foreign excursions: this time to Türkiey. The man at the head of our affairs appears to be wanting to flaunt his contempt for our largest and longest-standing trade parter with which we share a continent and a lengthy border. In October, he made an extended visit to Ankara and had significant talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about trade, security and cooperation.

Those who agree with the Prime Minister on his domestic agenda and echo his sentiments regarding US President Donald Trump appear generally to approve of the deals he is making around the world…as long as they do not involve the USA. The rift between PM Carney and President Trump is generally characterized as a trade dispute, but it also obviously involves a clash of personalities and a deep divide on social issues. It appears to this writer that trade negotiations might have been more successful—and with fewer wrinkles—if the two leaders were singing from the same song sheet on some of the other issues. The Liberal government under the leadership of Justin Trudeau and now under that of Mark Carney has continued to push abortion (both at home and abroad), MAiD in all its forms, gender transition surgery for minors and open-border policies on immigration. The US President has taken steps to reduce or resist all of these in the USA.

On August 21, 2026, the PM announced that he was calling a halt to Canada-US trade talks. This followed his January 16 visit to China, when he met with CCP President Xi Jinping and they came up with some new trade deals, and in other ways, expressed an intention to work more closely together. The deals involved—among other things—a reduction in Chinese tariffs on Canadian agricultural products and the opening of Canada to an annual allotment of 49,000 Chinese EVs. The signal was unmistakeable and aligned with other public statements made by Mr. Carney. Canada is looking for new partners. Her reliance and mutual dependence on the US was no longer to be taken for granted.

President Trump, of course, took a dim view of Canada cozying up to China and the Chinese EV imports. This may have had some impact on the difficult trade negotiations. Canadians also should note the fact that Chinese cooperation in trade and other matters will only be possible, if we refrain from “publicly lecturing” China on its many human rights abuses. Its treatment of the Uyghurs, its harvesting of organs from political prisoners, the memories of Tiananmen Square and the hundreds (or thousands) who were brutally killed by the Communist regime. If we want friendly relations with Beijing—according to Xi Jinping—those topics should not be brought up in public. They’re not allowed to be discussed in China.

Canada currently has 15 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with 51 countries. The frantic pace of world events has these agreements and others still under negotiations swirling like a kaleidoscope as new deals replace old ones and new alliances strain or fracture those we have grown accustomed to. The Prime Minister’s floating of the idea of a type of ‘associate membership’ in the EU is one of those moving pieces (more on that in the future). Middle East Alliances and stresses also add to the complications of reliable and enduring partnerships.

The recent efforts of the PM to strengthen ties with Türkiye had an interesting twist in regard to human rights concerns. While forcing the LGBTQ agenda on Canadians in schools, in sports and in the courts in Canada, he is ignoring the concerns of LGBTQ lobbyists who are raising alarms about how those questions are being handled in Türkiye. While Canada promotes ‘alternative lifestyles’ and our PM gushes over the Pride Parades, activists in Türkiye are being jailed and their social media accounts are being blocked. It’s amazing that dictators like Putin and Erdogan can speak of family values while our Canadian leaders jail Canadian pastors and family advocates who dare to speak up on issues of gender identity and the mutilation of minors. Yet for all those differences, our Prime Minister can turn a blind eye to foreign abuse of power to achieve a sense of unity (perhaps a false sense) with governments around the world when he thinks it will strengthen his hold on power in Canada.

The CHP would reopen trade talks with the US and would retain the right to challenge other nations who are violating human rights, even if it slowed down the move toward world government. Unity is a good thing, but a unity built on an unrighteous foundation will lead to disappointment and chaos.