Full Breakdown
Canada and Turkey Elevate Ties to Strategic Partnership
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Strategic Partnership Announced in Ankara
On July 8, 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Ankara for a two-day visit, the first bilateral trip by a Canadian leader to Turkey. In a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the two leaders declared a “strategic partnership” covering trade and investment, defence and security, energy, and people-to-people ties, and a three-year action plan to translate the agreement into concrete projects. The declaration also launched the first round of free-trade negotiations, scheduled to begin in Ankara next month, and a new defence-industry memorandum of understanding.
Background & Context
Carney’s outreach follows a broader Canadian strategy to diversify trade away from the United States, whose President Donald Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs and questioned Canadian sovereignty. Canada has signed more than 20 trade agreements in the past year and is pursuing “middle-power” partnerships to buffer against a potential U.S. trade war. Relations with Turkey had been strained after a de-facto arms embargo was imposed in 2020; the ban was lifted in 2024 after Turkey agreed to support Canada’s NATO stance on Sweden’s membership. Both NATO allies view the partnership as a way to deepen defence cooperation and secure energy supplies amid global instability.
Data & Statistics
- Turkey accounts for less than 0.3 % of Canada’s total merchandise trade, amounting to C$4.34 billion (? $3.09 billion).
- Bilateral trade has risen by nearly 50 % over the past five years, while ? 70 % of Canadian exports still go to the United States.
- Erdogan said the goal is to raise trade volume from the current ? $3 billion to $5 billion and eventually $10 billion.
- Turkey plans to add roughly 20 GW of nuclear capacity by 2050; feasibility studies are under way for Canadian CANDU reactors at Turkey’s planned second and third nuclear sites.
- An updated air-transport agreement will increase weekly passenger flights from 12 to 21.
Official Statements & Responses
Erdogan declared that the two nations had “overcome the long-standing Turkey-Canada disconnect” and were “starting a new era.” Turkish officials reiterated that the judiciary operates independently, while Canadian officials noted that human-rights considerations would be raised in parallel diplomatic channels.
Criticism & Opposition
Human-rights organisations warned that the partnership should not sideline concerns about Turkey’s recent crackdown on opposition figures, journalists and LGBTQ+ groups.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Erdogan’s target of $10 billion in trade lacks a concrete deadline, and Canadian officials have not disclosed a specific schedule for achieving that figure. The exact timeline for the free-trade talks remains ambiguous; sources confirm negotiations will start “next month” but differ on whether the first formal round will occur in October 2026 or later.
What’s Next
A free-trade negotiation round is scheduled for October 22, 2026, when Carney and Erdogan are expected to meet again in Ankara. Export Development Canada and Turkey’s Eximbank will sign a cooperation agreement to support joint projects in third-party markets, and the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank will admit Turkey as a founding member. Both governments have indicated that annual foreign-minister dialogues will be established to keep the partnership on track.