Photo credit: MP Stephen Fuhr, Facebook The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute is concerned with the recent statements by Canada’s Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, MP Stephen Fuhr. Following his visit to the SAHA Expo 2026 in Turkey, MP Fuhr indicated Canada’s intention to rapidly expand bilateral defence and industrial cooperation, specifically in the areas of drones, counter-drone systems, ammunition production, and autonomous technologies.
The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute strongly objects to this policy shift, citing Turkey’s persistent expansionist agenda, destabilizing regional activities, and documented history of violating international export controls.
Expanding defence cooperation with an actor that consistently violates international law undermines Canada's commitment to global security and human rights. The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute has issued a formal, private communication to MP Fuhr urging an immediate halt to these plans.
Turkey has a history of unauthorized diversions of Canadian military technology. During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict, Turkey illegally transferred Canadian-made military equipment to Azerbaijan. This technology was directly deployed against civilian populations, contributing to the subsequent ethnic cleansing of over 100,000 Armenians from their ancestral homeland.
Similar unauthorized diversions of Canadian technology by the Turkish government have also occurred in conflict zones across Syria and Libya. These systemic violations previously forced the Canadian government to suspend military export permits to Turkey between 2019 and 2021.
The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute warns that renewing and expanding this defence partnership overlooks Turkey’s ongoing aggressive foreign policy and human rights record, which includes:
Given Turkey's ongoing belligerence in the Southeastern Mediterranean and broader region, the Hellenic Canadian Research Institute calls upon the Government of Canada to immediately halt all plans to expand defence and industrial ties with Turkey. The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute further demands rigorous, transparent oversight on all existing export permits to ensure Canadian technology is not utilized to facilitate regional aggression.
Hellenic Canadian Research Institute
The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute strongly objects to this policy shift, citing Turkey’s persistent expansionist agenda, destabilizing regional activities, and documented history of violating international export controls.
Expanding defence cooperation with an actor that consistently violates international law undermines Canada's commitment to global security and human rights. The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute has issued a formal, private communication to MP Fuhr urging an immediate halt to these plans.
Turkey has a history of unauthorized diversions of Canadian military technology. During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict, Turkey illegally transferred Canadian-made military equipment to Azerbaijan. This technology was directly deployed against civilian populations, contributing to the subsequent ethnic cleansing of over 100,000 Armenians from their ancestral homeland.
Similar unauthorized diversions of Canadian technology by the Turkish government have also occurred in conflict zones across Syria and Libya. These systemic violations previously forced the Canadian government to suspend military export permits to Turkey between 2019 and 2021.
The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute warns that renewing and expanding this defence partnership overlooks Turkey’s ongoing aggressive foreign policy and human rights record, which includes:
- Sovereignty Violations: The ongoing illegal military occupation of Cyprus and continued irredentist claims against sovereign Greek territory and maritime boundaries in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
- Support for Extremism: Documented political and logistical support for proscribed terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as various jihadist militant factions in the Middle East.
- Regional Aggression: Continuous military operations and bombardments targeting Kurdish regions in northern Iraq and northern Syria.
- Geopolitical Inconsistency: Attempting to balance relations between Russia and the West during the ongoing war in Ukraine, complicating NATO solidarity.
- Domestic Repression: Widespread human rights abuses, including the systemic imprisonment of political opposition voices, journalists, and dissidents, and the systemic domestic repression of Kurdish citizens.
Given Turkey's ongoing belligerence in the Southeastern Mediterranean and broader region, the Hellenic Canadian Research Institute calls upon the Government of Canada to immediately halt all plans to expand defence and industrial ties with Turkey. The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute further demands rigorous, transparent oversight on all existing export permits to ensure Canadian technology is not utilized to facilitate regional aggression.
Hellenic Canadian Research Institute
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