Canada's Mark Carney visits Turkey to boost trade ties

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Turkey on Thursday, kicking off a two-day trip to strengthen trade ties between the two nations. During his visit, Carney met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential palace in Ankara. The two leaders announced plans to elevate the Canada-Turkey relationship to a strategic partnership, focusing on trade, energy, and people-to-people connections.

Carney expressed optimism, stating that the partnership would create new opportunities and enhance security and prosperity for both countries. Erdogan hailed Carney as a leader with common-sense and acumen, and announced negotiations for a free trade agreement would commence before the end of 2026. The Canadian-Turkish trade volume currently stands at approximately $3 billion, with aspirations to reach $5 billion and then $10 billion.

Additionally, the leaders agreed to increase direct flights between the two nations. This visit highlights Canada's efforts to diversify its trade relationships beyond the United States, particularly in light of trade tensions under the Trump administration. However, the visit comes amid concerns over human rights issues in Turkey, with the Turkish government targeting the opposition and LGBTQ+ community.

Turkish human rights groups have criticized the country's human rights record, with organizations like Amnesty International and Freedom House rating Turkey low in political rights and civil liberties.