Canada’s Carney Visits Turkey to Diversify Trade Amid U.S. Tensions

By Maria Cheng

ANKARA, Oct 22 (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Turkey on Thursday for the first bilateral visit by a Canadian leader to the country, aiming to strengthen trade ties and reduce economic reliance on the United States.

During his visit, Carney is scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with both leaders expected to sign a cooperation agreement covering key areas such as defense, energy, and technology, according to a source familiar with the plans.

This trip is part of Carney’s broader strategy to diversify Canada’s international partnerships and shield the economy from escalating trade disputes with the United States, where President Donald Trump has imposed widespread tariffs and raised questions about Canadian sovereignty.

As a NATO member, Turkey is actively seeking foreign investment to support its growing defense sector, upcoming nuclear energy projects, and mining industry. Carney’s office emphasized that the visit underscores Canada’s goal to establish itself as a reliable partner in global trade and investment.

While current trade volumes between Canada and Turkey remain relatively small—representing less than 0.3% of Canada’s total trade, or approximately C$4.34 billion ($3.09 billion)—bilateral commerce has increased by nearly 50% over the past five years.

“This visit signals to the U.S. that Canada is proactively building new alliances rather than passively waiting,” noted Bessma Momani, a political science professor at the University of Waterloo.

In the past year, Canada has ratified over 20 trade agreements as part of Carney’s initiative to significantly increase exports outside of North America within the next decade. Earlier this year, Carney traveled to Beijing to revive strained relations with China, securing agreements that lowered tariffs on electric vehicles and agricultural products like canola.

Despite concerns about national security risks linked to China—including documented interference in previous Canadian elections—Carney has characterized China as a more stable trading partner compared to the unpredictable nature of U.S. trade policies.

Nevertheless, close to 70% of Canada’s total exports still go to the United States.

Turkey’s human rights record, particularly regarding opposition crackdowns and treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals since 2024, has drawn international condemnation. However, Carney has placed less emphasis on human rights issues compared to his predecessors.

“Carney must carefully navigate this balance — opening economic opportunities for Canada while preserving its reputation as a champion of middle-power diplomacy and equality,” said Anna Agathangelou, a politics professor at York University.

The Turkish government maintains that its judiciary operates independently and rejects allegations that legal proceedings are influenced by political considerations.

At the NATO summit in July, Carney and Erdogan announced the launch of free-trade agreement negotiations, alongside Turkey’s decision to join Canada’s Defence, Security and Resilience Bank as a founding member.

Potential collaboration extends beyond trade; Turkish officials have explored partnerships with Canadian firms such as AtkinsRealis, alongside South Korean and Chinese companies, for the construction of additional nuclear power plants.

In 2024, Canada eased restrictions on weapons exports to Turkey, removing controls on technologies including optical equipment used in Turkish-made drones exported globally. Key Canadian exports to Turkey include lentils, aerospace components, and electronics, while imports consist mainly of medical devices, fishing boats, aircraft engines, and jewelry.

($1 = 1.4052 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Maria Cheng; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Humeyra Pamuk)

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