Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have announced a comprehensive new strategic partnership aimed at deepening cooperation between the two nations across trade, defence, security, and energy. The landmark deal was unveiled during Prime Minister Carney’s three-day official visit to Turkey, marking a significant effort to reset and strengthen bilateral ties.Issuing a joint statement at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, both leaders highlighted that the partnership establishes a new direction for Canada-Turkey relations. Prime Minister Carney described Turkey as a vital international partner, emphasizing that no country can build strength in isolation. He noted that collaborating with trusted partner nations significantly enhances the ability to address global challenges collectively.President Erdogan welcomed the agreement as the beginning of a new era in bilateral diplomacy. He acknowledged that despite long-standing diplomatic ties, a sense of distance had persisted between the two countries for an extended period, which both nations are now actively taking steps to eliminate. President Erdogan also expressed his intention to lead a business delegation to Canada in the near future to build on this momentum.The newly established strategic framework centers on four primary pillars: trade and investment, defence and security, energy, and strengthening people-to-people ties. Negotiators from both sides are scheduled to meet in Ankara next month to begin the first official round of talks toward a Free Trade Agreement. In tandem, a new agreement has been established to expand cooperation within the defence industry. Furthermore, both nations plan to boost mutual investments in critical minerals and the energy sector, while finalizing an air transport agreement that is expected to increase the frequency of commercial passenger flights between Canada and Turkey.This historic trip marks the first bilateral visit to Turkey by a sitting Canadian Prime Minister. The visit comes at a time when human rights organizations continue to express concerns regarding actions taken against civil society organizations and dissenting voices in Turkey. From Ottawa’s perspective, Prime Minister Carney’s strategic push is driven by a broader initiative to diversify Canada's global trade relations and reduce over-reliance on the United States. Concurrently, Turkey is pursuing ambitious energy goals, aiming to increase its nuclear energy generation capacity by approximately 20 gigawatts by 2050. As part of the new dialogue, both countries will explore opportunities to construct new nuclear power plants in Turkey utilizing Canada's CANDU nuclear technology.