Oct 21, 2026 1:04 PM - Connect Newsroom - Ramandeep Kaur with files from The Canadian Press

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will depart this evening for a three-day visit to Turkey. During the trip, Carney will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara and business leaders in Istanbul.
This marks the first bilateral visit to Turkey by a Canadian prime minister.
Carney’s visit comes amid growing concerns over human rights in Turkey, where LGBTQ and HIV advocacy organizations are reportedly facing systematic targeting. Members of Turkey’s LGBTQ community are said to be living in fear following violent police actions earlier this week.
According to senior federal officials, Carney’s visit will focus on advancing free trade agreement negotiations, securing business opportunities in the energy sector and strengthening defence industry ties between the two countries.
Canada currently conducts approximately $4.3 billion in trade with Turkey.



