Canada wants closer ties with Saudi Arabia and will not lecture about rights “from afar,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday during the first visit to the kingdom by a Canadian premier in 25 years.
Carney flew to Jeddah from the NATO summit in Turkey for talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, signing agreements that aim to expand partnerships in sectors ranging from energy to critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
Saudi-Canadian relations fractured under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau, whose government publicly scolded the kingdom for its treatment of human rights activists, including the prominent blogger Raif Badawi whose family moved to Canada.
Carney framed the trip as part of his global effort to diversify Canada’s trade ties with key regional powers to help reduce economic dependence on the U.S.
Asked about his decision to re-engage with Saudi Arabia, in an apparent departure from the previous Liberal government’s approach, Carney said: “Engagement is not endorsement.”
“Engaging with the country doesn’t mean that we agree with everything that a country is doing.”
He said Canada needs to “diversify our partnerships” as it has become “over-reliant on a partner,” naming the U.S.
“We are actively engaging with key partners around the world,” Carney told reporters.
Noting he is his country’s first leader to visit Saudi Arabia in a quarter century, Carney emphasized what he sees as the value of private, face-to-face diplomacy.
“Lecturing countries from afar is an ineffective strategy. It’s satisfying, but it’s ineffective,” he said.
Canada-Saudi relations soured in 2018 after Ottawa demanded the release of jailed human rights campaigners, including Raif Badawi’s sister Samar.
The kingdom reacted with fury, expelling the Canadian ambassador and severing all trade and investment ties in protest.
Carney’s office said the prime minister and crown prince will finalize a deal next year that will make it easier for Canadian businesses to expand into Saudi Arabia.
Carney was also asked about negotiations with the U.S., and whether he had personally made progress with President Donald Trump on unlocking a reported impasse over the future of the North American free trade deal.
“I’ll keep you posted,” Carney said.
