The Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, and His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye today launched the Canada-Türkiye Strategic Partnership.
In an increasingly complex global security environment, rising geopolitical uncertainties, and evolving humanitarian challenges, a strong and resilient Canada-Türkiye partnership is essential, providing a foundation to mitigate shared threats and capitalise on new opportunities. This Strategic Partnership will fundamentally deepen and elevate the level of cooperation between Canada-Türkiye in support of shared objectives in expanding political dialogue, enhancing economic growth and trade, raising technological development and furthering common security.
As NATO Allies, Canada and Türkiye are bound together by shared values: human rights, individual liberties, democracy and the rule of law. Building on 83 years of diplomatic relations, the Partnership reflects the two countries’ commitment to realise the full potential of the relationship by growing trade and investments, boosting collaboration on energy projects and natural resources, promoting security and defence cooperation, and fostering ever closer government-to-government and people-to-people ties. To deliver on this vision, the leaders launched a three‑year Action Plan anchored in four pillars.
On trade, investment and innovation, the leaders agreed to work toward successful conclusion of a Canada-Türkiye Free Trade Agreement; expand bilateral trade and investments in priority sectors including energy supply, defence production, aerospace, and AI; ratify the Canada-Türkiye Air Transport Agreement; and strengthen cooperation between trade and export agencies, including for cooperation into third countries. They also agreed to support greater collaboration among innovation ecosystems.
On energy, and climate cooperation, the leaders agreed to significantly advance collaboration across the energy sector, including liquefied natural gas, civil nuclear energy, renewable energy, clean technologies, and critical energy infrastructure resilience. They will encourage investment, support dialogue between nuclear stakeholders, strengthen cooperation on sustainable mining and critical minerals supply chains, and enhance collaboration on climate resilience, clean technologies, and environmental protection. The leaders welcomed the Joint Statement on Canada-Türkiye Cooperation in the Field of Energy agreed by their respective Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources. Canada welcomes Türkiye’s hosting and Presidency of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), to be held in Antalya on 9-20 November 2026, and expressed its readiness to work closely with the Turkish Presidency for a successful outcome.
On defence and security, the leaders underlined their intent to deepen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including in NATO, as envisaged in the Statement of Intent on Defence Cooperation. They agreed to strengthen cooperation in support of peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic region and beyond including Ukraine, South Caucasus, and the Middle East, in particular Gaza. They welcomed the conclusion of a Defence Sector Partnerships MOU between Global Affairs Canada and the Secretariat of Defence Industries of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, that will facilitate the expansion of defence industry partnerships and ongoing discussions on opportunities to further expand defence cooperation in key areas of joint interest, building on the recently signed Statement of Intent on Defence Cooperation. They underscored the importance of initiating a dialogue to strengthen cooperation in mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and extradition.
On government-to-government dialogue and people-to-people ties, the leaders agreed to establish an annual Canada-Türkiye Strategic Dialogue, continue holding annual Joint Economic and Trade Committee meetings, as well as Political-Military and Counter-Terrorism consultations, strengthen cooperation on consular issues and migration, explore measures to facilitate travel and mobility, and support cultural exchanges and diaspora engagement.
President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Carney agreed, through their Foreign Ministers, to oversee the implementation of the three-year Action Plan with a view to deepening their bilateral partnership, promoting international security and building prosperous and green economies of the future.
Prime Minister Carney, on the occasion of the first visit of a Head of Government between two countries, expressed appreciation to the Government of Türkiye for the warm and friendly hospitality. Türkiye welcomed the invitation for President Erdoğan to visit Canada at a mutually convenient time.
Noah Note: A more relaxed position on the first day of the Prime Ministers trip, also getting the strategic partnership signing out of the way fairly quick. Of course, there will be controversy with this one given Turkey's history and the sense of disteist many have about deepening relationships outsid ethe likeminded sphere.
Turkey, evidently, has emerged as one of the more noted partners that the PMO seems to be courting iver the last year. From Nuclear to Defence, there is a recognition around that Turkish industry is looking to expand into the wider western markets, especially on defence, and we want to be part of that conversation.
Whether that same Industry is open to true defence collaboration and investment in Canada? Time will tell, but there is a note that Turkish Industry is seen by many as far more capable and advanced than a decade ago, enough that there are now avenues to collaboration that seem promising, especially on Autonomous Systems, Sensors, and Munitions.
(Note. Munitions in this case do not solely refer to the idea of Turkish missiles or such being made in Canada. There are many kinds of munitions . Note.)
So far the bilateral exchange on this front has been limited, and this trip itself is mainly about reaffirming the Statement of Intent on Defence Cooperation from July. Kraken Robotics has has an MOU with Turkish SEFINE SISAM since May, but so far it's been behing the scenes.
Turkish Industry is around if you look for them, Otokar, TAI, a few others have all been engaging with Canadian Industry. How fsr that could go? I can't say but they are definetly engaging, we're heavily present at CANSEC, and seem really interesting in participating.
We have a single agreement here on Industrial cooperation, isn't a whole bunch but for the Turks it's likely a bit more welcomed than we will have initially. Opwning the door for Canadian Industry to participate in Turkish programs. Things like WESCAM Cameras, Rotax and P&WC engines, Maritime Systems, Critical components, Sensors, etc are all likely to be on the hunt list for turkish Industry to support future autonomous system programs, export development, programs like the Hurjet and helicopter programs.
Taking note that the Feds sre also talking about collaboration on exports, which to me is esepecislly interesting with the above mentions, especially as Turkey looks to expand into Western markets, where certain subsystems might be desired over American or Turkish ones. There is also the concern about other partners Turkey might engage with, given Turkish industry would sell to ghosts if they could, so there will be lots of questions there as well for the Feds as they move forward with the export friendship express.
Also missing in the presser, a bit surprisingly, is the mention of the DSRB dream team. Turkey is one of the larger states currently in the DSRB, and certainly one that seems interested. President Erdoğan did give mention in the conference to utilizing the DSRB as an investment tool to deepen defence collaboration, but on the Canadian side things are quiet.
Overall, it's another step in a depeening relationship that right now remains fairly open. Defence does get a big nod here though as a foundational pillar, something we are seeing more of. The importance of Defence as both a tool of engagement and deepening economic collaboration is growing, and that in itself is good to the Industries long-term health.
Of course, on this one, we are in waiting. Unfortunately, no word on the fabled drone deal folks were hyping lol. It was always a weird one with the Turks, not to say it can't or won't happen, but DDI makes stuff weird, reslly weird. It messed up the Polish deal it seems, at least that's what im getting. Not the sole reason the potential Polish deal hit a few roadblocks, in the last few month's, but likely one. It came at a messy time, and is still a bit messy in itself. I think we're still a ways away from that stuff.
variable geometry in action.