Prime Minister Carney Will Visit Turkey This October
The Canadian leader plans to accelerate trade negotiations aimed at reducing Canada's reliance on the United States.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in International Trade
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Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to visit Turkey this October to advance free-trade negotiations between the two nations. This visit follows an agreement by trade ministers to speed up talks on cooperation in energy, aerospace, and defense.
Why it matters
Carney aims to diversify Canada's international trade portfolio to reduce the country's heavy economic reliance on the United States. Meanwhile, Turkey is actively pursuing foreign investment to bolster its domestic energy, mining, and infrastructure sectors.
Turkey accounted for less than 0.3% of Canada's total merchandise trade in 2025, representing a small fraction of the C$1 trillion volume Canada conducts with the United States.
The players
Mark Carney
Mark Carney is the Prime Minister of Canada who is currently leading an initiative to expand non-U.S. trade partnerships.
Tayyip Erdogan
Tayyip Erdogan is the President of Turkey who has maintained leadership for 23 years.
AtkinsRealis
AtkinsRealis is an engineering and construction company that holds the exclusive license for Canadian-designed CANDU nuclear reactors.
The details
Canada removed weapons-export controls on Turkey in 2024 and subsequently saw the nation join the Defence Security and Resilience Bank in July 2026. Officials are also coordinating on the potential deployment of Canadian-designed CANDU reactors, for which AtkinsRealis holds the exclusive license.
Timeline
Canada removed weapons-export controls on Turkey in 2024.
Turkey accounted for less than 0.3% of Canadian trade in 2025.
Trade ministers met in June 2026 to plan cooperation on energy and defense.
Canada and Turkey launched free-trade negotiations in July 2026.
Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to visit Turkey in October 2026.
Market Dynamics
The diplomatic push follows the global role of the CANDU nuclear reactor technology, which serves as a central pillar for Canadian energy infrastructure exports. This move seeks to solidify Canada's position in new markets as it attempts to move away from the economic gravitational pull of its southern neighbor.
Retail and institutional investors with exposure to Canadian energy or aerospace firms may see new opportunities as trade barriers between the two nations continue to decrease. Increased government-backed cooperation could lead to new contracts for infrastructure developers and nuclear energy service providers.
The takeaway
The move underscores a strategic pivot in Canadian foreign policy toward broadening its economic footprint beyond North America. Readers should monitor future regulatory updates regarding export controls as the two nations further integrate their defense and energy sectors.
Further reading
For more background on shifting economic alliances, see International Trade.
Live Poll
Should Canada prioritize new trade partnerships even if potential partners have questionable human rights records?
