By Barry Ellsworth
TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Qatar will make “significant strategic investments” in Canada, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday during an official visit to the Gulf nation.
"Canada is building big — and finding new partners who want to build with us," Carney posted on US social media company X, adding that Doha had committed to making "big investments" that would allow Ottawa to fast-track major infrastructure projects.
Discussions with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani focused on “increasing trade, commerce, investment and security co-operation,” said a statement by Carney's office following the first official visit to Qatar by a sitting Canadian prime minister.
They also agreed to accelerate stalled talks on the new Canada-Qatar Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement by summer.
“This will enable Canadian businesses to more easily expand their operations in, and attract investment from, Qatar – a country with an economy worth nearly US$290 billion (CAN$403),” Carney stated.
The agreement covers enhanced bilateral trade and investment, information technology, defense and security, as well as a new double-taxation deal to ease work and invest between the countries.
Cultural exchanges will also be enhanced and Canada will expand direct flights to Qatar, strengthening “people-to-people” ties. The importance of those ties should not be overlooked, he said.
"When the people of different countries are familiar with each other's cultures and perspectives, they're enriched, and they trust each other more," Carney said. "And they also want to do more together, to build together."
Nearly 10,000 Canadians live and work in Qatar in the aerospace, artificial intelligence, defence and agrifood sectors.
During the visit, Carney also invited the Qatari leader to visit Canada later this year, as well as the country's prime minister and minister of foreign affairs.