Canadian PM’s Türkiye visit to mark start of ‘new strategic relationship’

ANKARA

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Oct. 21-23 visit to Türkiye is expected to usher in a new phase in bilateral ties, with Ottawa viewing Ankara as a potential strategic partner, Canadian Ambassador to Türkiye Marcel Lebleu has said.

“I would describe this as the beginning of a new strategic relationship,” Lebleu told Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency on Oct. 20, ahead of Carney’s visit, which will mark the first bilateral official visit to Türkiye by a Canadian prime minister.

“I must emphasize that this is a historic visit. It will mark the first-ever visit to Türkiye by a Canadian head of government. There has also never been a presidential visit to Canada from Türkiye,” he added.

Lebleu, who took up his post in Ankara in September, said Türkiye was a country in which Canada needed to invest more, not only economically but also in strengthening bilateral relations.

He added that this approach aligned with the visions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Carney, who have met twice previously.

Carney is expected to meet Erdoğan during his three-day visit, with discussions set to cover political and diplomatic issues, trade, defense industry cooperation, energy and mutual investment.

The Canadian prime minister and his delegation are also expected to meet Turkish business representatives to explore opportunities in priority sectors, including aviation, advanced technologies and critical minerals.

The visit comes amid renewed efforts to deepen economic ties, following a joint statement issued at the NATO summit in Ankara in July announcing the launch of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.

Technical teams have since been working to define the scope and objectives of a potential deal.

Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat also held talks with Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu in June to advance the economic partnership. Energy, including potential cooperation in nuclear power, was identified as a promising area for further collaboration.

Türkiye’s bilateral trade volume with Canada reached $2.74 billion in 2025, with Turkish exports totaling $1.58 billion and imports from Canada standing at $1.16 billion. In the first eight months of 2026, exports amounted to $1.02 billion, while imports reached $954.8 million, bringing bilateral trade close to $2 billion.

If an FTA is concluded, the two countries aim to raise bilateral trade to $7 billion-$8 billion in the short term and eventually to $10 billion.