Mark Carney lands in Turkey to forge a new partnership as Canada looks beyond the US

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Turkey on Thursday for a two-day visit seeking to forge a new partnership as Canada looks to reduce its dependence on the United States .

Carney is making the first bilateral visit by a Canadian prime minister to Turkey, although he traveled to Ankara in July to attend the NATO summit . He is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials before traveling to Istanbul for talks with Turkish business groups as the two countries seek to deepen trade ties.

The Canadian prime minister has sought to diversify partnerships and reduce reliance on the United States amid an escalating trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, marked by U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, retaliatory measures by Canada and statements questioning Canadian sovereignty.

In an interview with Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, Canada’s Ambassador to Turkey, Marcel Lebleu, said this week that the visit’s main purpose was to “launch a strategic partnership through a joint declaration by the two leaders.”

Talks would focus on cooperation in energy, nuclear plants, sustainable mining and the defense industry.

The two countries would also hold negotiations on a free-trade agreement, he said.

Turkey is looking to build a second nuclear power plant on the Black Sea coast, in addition to one currently being built by Russia’s Rosatom on the Mediterranean coast.

Mounted cavalry units escorted Carney's vehicle to the sprawling Turkish presidential compound, where a welcoming ceremony was held. Erdogan and Carney then proceeded to a palace building for bilateral talks.

“We're here to elevate our partnership,” Carney said in a post on X. “Unlocking access to a market of more than 85 million people. Creating new economic opportunities for our workers and businesses.”

On Thursday, Amnesty International called on Carney to raise human rights concerns during his trip.

Carney's visit comes as Turkish authorities intensified a crackdown on the opposition, arrested journalists and activists including LGBTQ rights defenders, and installed a government-appointed administrator to run a popular television station aligned with the opposition.

The mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu , considered a main rival to Erdogan, has been imprisoned for over a year on corruption charges he denies. Hundreds of party members and elected officials have also been detained in a crackdown critics say is designed to cripple Turkey’s largest opposition group. Erdogan's government insists Turkish courts operate independently.

“As the judiciary is increasingly used to silence dissent and suppress critical voices, a clear message emerges: speaking out can come at a heavy price,” Amnesty's Turkey director, Ruhat Sena Aksenir, said in a statement.

“Canada must not treat human rights as secondary in the negotiations. Sustainable partnerships depend on accountability and respect for the rule of law,” she added.

In a sign of improving ties, Canada lifted its ban on the export of weapons to Turkey in 2024. It had imposed the restrictions following Turkey’s military incursions into Syria and over Turkey’s support to Azerbaijan in its conflict against Armenia, including providing equipment that used Canadian-made parts.

A statement from Carney’s office said two-way trade between Turkey and Canada increased by 50% in the past five years.

It said that during the visit, Carney will emphasize opportunities “to expand that growing trade relationship in priority sectors, including energy, aerospace, advanced technologies, and mining and critical minerals.”