Overview
- Multiple sources say Prime Minister Mark Carney will make a brief official trip to Turkey later this month to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, although neither office has publicly confirmed dates or an itinerary.
- Canadian and Turkish trade ministers have agreed to accelerate bilateral free‑trade negotiations ahead of the leaders’ meeting to try to produce concrete progress before talks move forward.
- Officials and reporting say discussions are likely to centre on energy opportunities including nuclear and renewables, defence‑industrial cooperation, and investment in infrastructure and mining.
- Carney’s government has placed less public emphasis on human‑rights pressure than previous governments in order to prioritise economic ties and diversify Canada’s trade away from heavy reliance on the United States after stalled U.S. talks.
- Bilateral trade with Turkey remains small at under 0.3% of Canada’s merchandise trade in 2025, but the visit builds on recent steps to normalise defence engagement and fits Carney’s goal of doubling non‑U.S. trade over the coming decade.