Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit Turkey from October 21-23, marking the first standalone bilateral trip to the country by a Canadian PM, his office announced on Tuesday.
The visit to Ankara and Istanbul comes as Carney seeks to diversify Canada's economic ties and reduce reliance on the US following the collapse of trade talks in August. In Ankara, Carney plans to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss cooperation in energy, mining, climate, defence and security. In Istanbul, he will meet Turkish business leaders and investors to promote Canada as a trade and investment destination.
Carney's office said he will highlight bilateral trade opportunities in energy, aerospace, advanced technology, mining and critical minerals.
The trip reflects a broader pivot in Canadian trade policy. Carney has pledged to double Canada's trade with non-US countries over the next decade and has stepped up efforts to strengthen relations with China and India, despite past tensions.
The Canada-US trade relationship deteriorated significantly starting in early 2025. US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in 2025, accusing Canada of failing to secure its border against illegal immigration and fentanyl smuggling. In March 2025, Washington imposed 25 percent tariffs on most Canadian goods and 10 percent on Canadian energy. Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs covering up to 109 billion dollars in US imports.
The dispute has threatened one of the world's largest bilateral trading relationships. More than 2.5 billion dollars worth of goods and services cross the Canada-US border each day. Before the tariff war, former Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated that Canada purchased "more from American businesses than the UK, France, China and Japan combined."