Mark Carney set to leave for Türkiye visit focused on trade, energy and security
The Canadian prime minister is scheduled to depart for Ankara on October 21, with meetings planned in Ankara and Istanbul. Officials have not said whether the visit will produce new deals.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to depart for Ankara on Wednesday, October 21, for a bilateral visit to Türkiye focused on trade, energy and security, Global News reported. The Prime Minister’s Office lists his departure for 6:30 p.m. local time; the planned trip also includes Istanbul.
The government announced the October 21–24 visit earlier this month, describing it as the first bilateral visit to Türkiye by a Canadian prime minister. Carney met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the July NATO summit in Ankara, where the two leaders welcomed the launch of negotiations toward a comprehensive free-trade agreement.
What Carney plans to discuss in Ankara and Istanbul
Carney is due to meet Erdoğan in Ankara to discuss energy, mining, climate, defence and security, according to the government’s announcement. He is then expected to meet Turkish business leaders and investors in Istanbul. Global News reported that Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson will accompany him.
Senior government officials told Global News the leaders would highlight free trade and progress on other issues, but would not say whether they planned to announce any new deals. Technical talks on a free-trade agreement are underway, the outlet reported. Those talks give the visit an economic focus, although no agreement has been announced for the trip.
Canada–Türkiye trade and defence ties
Two-way merchandise trade reached $4.3 billion in 2025, according to the Canadian government: $1.1 billion in Canadian exports and $3.2 billion in imports from Türkiye. Kerim Uras, a former Turkish ambassador, told Global News that the total was ‘peanuts’ relative to the countries’ economies and said it could grow quickly with further work.
The relationship also has a difficult defence history. Canada imposed an arms-export ban on Türkiye in 2019 after its military incursion into Syria and expanded it amid concerns that Canadian-made drone parts had been diverted to Azerbaijan, Global News reported. Canada lifted the ban in 2024, drawing criticism from Armenian diaspora groups.
Officials would not tell Global News whether Carney intends to raise reports of police raids targeting LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in private talks with Erdoğan. Human Rights Watch and independent United Nations experts have condemned the raids, the outlet reported.
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Sources and context
- Carney to make Turkey trip for 1st bilateral visit aimed at deepening tiesGlobal News
- Wednesday, October 21, 2026Prime Minister of Canada
- Prime Minister Carney to visit Türkiye to advance partnership across trade and investment, energy, and defencePrime Minister of Canada
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.