Canada launches 'strategic partnership' with Turkey aimed at securing free-trade deal

Carney forming 'strategic partnership' with Turkey
Carney forming 'strategic partnership' with Turkey
Prime Minister Mark Carney bows his head after laying a wreath at the mausoleum of Turkish founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Writer

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada is forming a "strategic partnership" with Turkey aimed at securing a free-trade agreement.

Carney arrived in Ankara overnight for the first official bilateral visit by a Canadian prime minister to Turkey.

In a joint statement with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the two leaders said they're also looking to ratify an "air transportation agreement" which could lead to more direct flights.

The agreement also commits to deeper people-to-people ties with Turkey, something Carney also has sought with the European Union to offer more flexibility to tourists, workers and students.

The statement said Canada and Turkey have shared values, including "human rights, individual liberties, democracy and the rule of law." 

The Erdogan government is under heavy scrutiny internationally right now over reports of official persecution of LGBTQ+ organizers in the country.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.

By Craig Lord | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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