Carney to make Turkey trip for 1st bilateral visit aimed at deepening ties

A bilateral visit is an official meeting between representatives of two countries. It focuses on their direct relationship, rather than on a wider gathering such as a NATO summit. That distinction matters because it signals deliberate attention to Canada-Turkey ties.

Carney previously met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey during the NATO summit earlier this year. However, that meeting took place within a multilateral alliance event. His three-day trip is different because it is organized specifically around Canada’s relationship with Turkey.

The visit includes meetings in Ankara with Erdogan and in Istanbul with Turkish business leaders. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson are also travelling with Carney. The government wants deeper political, economic and security ties, making the trip an important diplomatic reset and expansion.

The two countries are seeking deeper political, economic and security ties. This matters because Canada wants to diversify trade beyond the United States, while Turkey also needs alternatives to an increasingly protectionist U.S. market. Their cooperation could connect two middle powers with shared interests.

Economic discussions will include free trade and investment. Technical talks are already underway on a Canada-Turkey free-trade agreement. Energy is another central area, especially nuclear power, while Turkish contractors are interested in Canadian projects involving critical minerals, shipping and construction.

Security cooperation could grow because Canada and Turkey are NATO allies. They may find opportunities through defence spending and regional diplomacy. Carney and Erdogan are expected to discuss these files, but officials did not confirm whether the visit will produce formal new deals.

Canada and Turkey have formal diplomatic ties dating to 1944, but their economic relationship remains small compared with the size of both economies. Two-way trade totalled $4.3 billion in 2025. Turkish exports to Canada accounted for the bulk of that amount, showing an imbalance in current trade flows.

Kerim Uras, a former Turkish ambassador to Canada, called the trade volume “peanuts” compared with the two economies. He said the countries could potentially quadruple trade with focused effort. Technical negotiations on a free-trade agreement could help reduce barriers and expand business connections.

The relationship also includes a substantial people-to-people link. The federal government estimates that 76,000 members of the Turkish diaspora live in Canada. The current figures show room for growth, while the diaspora provides an established community connection for future trade and diplomatic ties.

Canada’s strategy could shift from heavy reliance on the United States toward a wider network of partners. The goal would not be to replace the U.S. market with Turkey. Instead, stronger Turkey ties could give Canada another channel for exports, investment and major infrastructure projects.

Turkey offers potential connections in nuclear energy, critical minerals, shipping and construction. Turkish contractors have experience working during geopolitical turmoil, while Canadian firms may compete for Turkish energy projects. A free-trade agreement could also make business between the countries easier and increase the currently modest trade volume.

The likely result would be greater resilience and more negotiating options for Canada. Uras said neither country can replace the United States with one partner. The forward strategy is therefore diversification through relationships among middle powers, with Turkey serving as one possible partner.

Turkey is strategically important because it sits where Europe and the Middle East meet. It borders or lies near several conflict zones and the Black Sea. That position gives it relevance to transportation, energy, security and diplomacy well beyond its own borders.

The article points to Russia’s war in Ukraine across the Black Sea and Turkey’s southern and eastern borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran. Turkey also brokered a grain-export deal between Russia and Ukraine after the 2022 invasion. That agreement helped protect food supplies for developing countries.

Turkey is also a NATO member, creating a direct security link with Canada. Kerim Uras described it as an “island of stability” in a troubled neighbourhood. Closer ties could therefore support cooperation on defence, regional security and energy, while giving Canada a stronger relationship with an influential middle power.

Energy is a possible area where Canada can offer Turkey an alternative to reliance on Russia and Iran. Bessma Momani called that reliance an “Achilles heel” for Turkey. Canada’s potential contribution is expertise, technology and investment in energy projects, especially nuclear power.

The clearest example is AtkinsRéalis, the Canadian engineering firm associated with the CANDU reactor operating at Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. Kerim Uras said the company is one of the leading contenders to supply two planned nuclear power plants in Turkey. Anand and Turkey’s foreign minister visited Darlington during a June meeting.

Tim Hodgson’s participation in Carney’s trip highlights the importance of energy discussions. Nuclear cooperation could strengthen trade and reduce Turkey’s vulnerability to existing suppliers. The article does not confirm a contract or announcement, so the opportunity remains under discussion rather than a completed deal.

Pragmatic cooperation means pursuing useful shared interests without ignoring serious disagreements. Governments may work together on trade, energy or security while continuing to assess a partner’s conduct. The article does not provide a broad assessment of Turkey’s human-rights record or domestic policies, so it mainly illustrates this balance through arms controls.

Canada banned arms exports to Turkey in 2019 after its military incursion into Syria. The ban expanded after Canadian-made drone parts were diverted to Azerbaijan. Canada lifted it in 2024, despite criticism from Armenian diaspora groups. This shows how cooperation can be restricted, reviewed and later adjusted.

The current visit suggests both countries are ready to pursue closer ties. Uras said they had “hit the reset button” after the embargo. Future cooperation could therefore advance alongside continued scrutiny, especially when proposed defence or technology links create risks involving regional conflicts or diverted equipment.