Why does my canoe turn better when heeling opposite the turn direction? This scrambles my brain.

You would think it's like banking an airplane into the turn, but surprise! - it's not.

What you need to do is get under the canoe when heeling (virtually, of course) to see that the curve of the heeled down side steers the boat in the opposite direction.
The flatter bottom which is now at an angle doesn't offer much resistance.

The onside paddle action is also magnified in a heel, so you get more of a turn with each stroke.

It's fun to watch youtubes of some of the Canadian heeling paddlers doing amazing tricks. I don't have a link, but there is one with canoes waltzing to classical music.

What are you paddling? I used to have a Bell Wildfire (now Yellowstone?) which could dance around, but as a tripper it had no tracking. I hated to sell it because it was so pretty with ash gunnels and cane seat. I now paddle a Bell Magic which takes only a mild J-stroke to stay on track.

More rocker while on its side due to curvature of the hull.

Here you go

Thanks for the replies and info. Learned all about stern skid, using knee pressure and how shifting weight forward or backward affects turning.

OtherBob, I've noticed this in my Blackhawk starship, I can steer with my knees if I shift to the opposite side. I'm looking forward to trying some of those Canadian style maneuvers in my prospector. When it's warm enough to swim that is.