VANCOVER, Canada – In a more dangerous and divided world, Canada is focused on what we can control. We are building our strength at home and diversifying our partnerships abroad to unlock new opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses.
On Thursday, prime minister, Mark Carney, welcomed the president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to Vancouver to announce a new Canada-Philippines Strategic Partnership that will deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, defence, and tourism.
A priority of this partnership is concluding negotiations on a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement by the end of this year. This agreement is expected to boost bilateral trade by nearly 200 percent by 2035 and create significant new export opportunities for Canadian businesses – particularly in agriculture and forest products.
In parallel, we are negotiating the Canada-ASEAN free trade agreement, with the goal of completion by the end of this year, under the Philippines’ ASEAN chairship. This agreement is expected to add nearly $2 billion to Canada’s GDP and create nearly 14,000 Canadian jobs – including in agriculture and manufacturing.
Canada and the Philippines are also deepening collaboration in energy and mining. Today, the two countries announced a Joint Declaration of Intent concerning Energy and Natural Resources Cooperation and a new Technical Assistance Partnership. Together, Canada and the Philippines will leverage our resources to secure resilient, sustainable, and responsible supply chains in the Philippines, in Canada, and across the Indo-Pacific.
Economic growth must be underpinned by robust defence and security. To that end, the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement between Canada and the Philippines will soon come into force, building on the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and a Statement of Intent on Strengthening Defence Cooperation signed last month. This agreement will enable our armed forces to train and operate more closely together through joint military exercises in both countries – reinforcing our collective security and strengthening Canada’s military presence in the Indo-Pacific.
Canada is home to more than one million Filipino Canadians. To strengthen these people-to-people ties, Canada and the Philippines signed two Memoranda of Understanding that will boost tourism and promote cultural and artistic cooperation – making it easier for Canadians and Filipinos to experience each other’s countries and collaborate across the creative industries.
The two countries also announced a Joint Declaration of Intent on Labour and Migration to strengthen protections for migrant workers and promote ethical recruitment. Filipino workers make invaluable contributions to communities across Canada. Canada and the Philippines will establish a framework to strengthen protections for those workers and support safe, fair, and transparent labour mobility.
By forging stronger partnerships abroad, Canada is creating high-paying careers at home, diversifying our trade, attracting massive investment, and building a stronger, more independent, and more resilient Canadian economy.