Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Thursday during a visit aimed at strengthening trade and energy and defense ties as Canada seeks to reduce its economic dependence on the United States, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
Turkey’s communications chief, Burhanettin Duran, announced Wednesday that Carney will make an official visit October 22-23 at Erdoğan’s invitation. The countries plan to elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership and sign agreements in several areas, Duran said.
Carney, accompanied by Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Energy Minister Tim Hodgson, is also scheduled to meet with Turkish business leaders and investors in İstanbul on Friday.
His office has described the trip as the first dedicated bilateral visit to Turkey by a Canadian prime minister, although Canadian leaders have previously attended international summits in the country.
The visit comes as Carney seeks new markets and partnerships amid a trade dispute with Washington and strained relations with US President Donald Trump. For Turkey, closer ties offer opportunities to attract investment and expand cooperation in its defense and energy industries.
Advancing negotiations for a free-trade agreement will be a central part of the talks. Carney and Erdoğan launched the negotiations during the NATO summit in Ankara in July, and Canada completed public consultations on the proposed agreement last month.
The Canadian government says two-way merchandise trade reached C$4.3 billion (about US $3 billion) in 2025 and has grown by almost 50 percent over five years.
The two governments are expected to sign a declaration covering defense, energy, economic cooperation and diplomatic and social ties, Reuters reported, citing a person briefed on the plans. Canadian officials declined Tuesday to confirm which agreements would be signed.
Energy discussions could include potential Turkish purchases of Canadian liquefied natural gas and cooperation on nuclear power, Reuters reported. Turkey has been holding talks with Canadian engineering company AtkinsRéalis, which has the exclusive license for CANDU reactor technology, about potentially building additional nuclear power plants.
Defense talks are expected to focus on drones and naval cooperation, according to Reuters, underscoring a shift from earlier tensions over the use of Canadian military technology.
Canada suspended military export permits to Turkey and subsequently cancelled them in 2021 after an investigation found that Canadian-made drone technology supplied to Turkey had been used by Azerbaijani forces in the war with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. Ottawa lifted the restrictions in January 2024, allowing military export applications to be reviewed individually.
The renewed diplomatic engagement also comes about a month after Turkish police launched a nationwide crackdown on dissent and civil society, with LGBTQ+ organizations and groups providing HIV support among those targeted.
The campaign has sharpened questions about how Canada balances its pursuit of trade and defense partnerships with its stated commitment to human rights.
The Canadian Press has reported criticism from LGBTQ+ groups over Ottawa’s decision not to join European governments in publicly condemning raids on Turkish advocacy organizations.
Foreign Minister Anand said in late September that Canada’s decision not to join a joint condemnation of Turkey’s crackdown should not be interpreted as a retreat from its support for LGBTQ+ rights.
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