Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is planning a visit to Turkey this month to meet President Tayyip Erdogan, marking the first dedicated bilateral trip by a Canadian leader to the country.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to visit Turkey later this month to meet with President Tayyip Erdogan. Four sources familiar with the matter indicated the trip would be the first standalone bilateral visit to Turkey by a Canadian leader in recent decades.

Trade and Strategic Cooperation

The visit follows the launch of free-trade talks between the two nations during a NATO summit in Ankara this past July. Canadian and Turkish trade ministers recently agreed to accelerate these negotiations ahead of the leaders' meeting. Discussions are expected to cover potential cooperation in energy, defense, infrastructure, and mining. This diplomatic push is part of Carney’s broader strategy to reduce Canada's economic reliance on the United States following the collapse of trade talks in August. Carney has set a goal to double Canada's non-US trade over the next decade, pursuing new ties with nations including India and China.

Political and Human Rights Context

Carney’s approach has prioritized economic reinforcement amid US tariffs, with a reported focus on human rights that is less pronounced than that of his predecessors. Meanwhile, Turkey’s President Erdogan, who has led the country for 23 years, is seeking new markets and defense industry collaboration. Erdogan has faced criticism from rights groups regarding a crackdown on political opposition since 2024, though he maintains that the judiciary is independent and not politically motivated. Turkey has also recently faced international criticism from some European officials and rights groups over a wave of arrests and restrictions targeting the LGBTQ+ community. The Turkish government states these measures are intended to protect family values and children.