Prime Minister Mark Carney delivers remarks at the Canada Day National noon ceremony at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa on Wednesday.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday in Vancouver as part of a four-day trip designed to attract trade and investment to the Asian archipelago nation.
Mr. Marcos is leading a delegation of as many as five cabinet ministers as well as a business delegation of 15 to 20 people, according to Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, the Philippines’ ambassador to Canada. It’s the first visit by a Philippines president to this country in 11 years.
The envoy said he expects the two countries will sign a number of memorandums of understanding and joint agreements including on energy and tourism.
Mr. Chan-Gonzaga said he anticipates liquefied natural gas and oil will be part of the discussion with Canada as his country tries to secure new sources of energy.
“Because after the flare-up in the Middle East, we have been very active in searching for alternative sources for both for LNG and for oil.”
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Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of strategy and research at the Asia Pacific Foundation, noted that the Philippines was the first country to declare a state of national energy emergency in response to the war in Iran, after the conflict disrupted supply chains, drove up fuel prices and exposed the country’s acute dependence on imported petroleum.
Canada and the Philippines have grown closer in recent years, particularly on the security and defence front. In November, they signed a legal framework allowing Canadian and Philippine troops to train and operate on each other’s territory, among other agreements. In May, the Canadian Armed Forces took part in the Philippines’ annual Balikatan military exercise, including the frigate HMCS Charlottetown and a helicopter, along with members of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
Canada is sharing satellite data with the Philippines to help it identify illegal fishing vessels plying its waters, but Ottawa’s Dark Vessel Detection technology is also giving Manila a helping hand in a continuing territorial dispute with China.
Back in 2024, the Philippines coast guard spokesman took to X to publicly acknowledge Canada’s help in tracking the movements of Chinese coast guard vessel CCG-5901, a ship that has been accused by Manila of acts of intimidation on behalf of Beijing.
Canada and the Philippines are expected to conclude a trade agreement this year.
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Unlike other world leaders, Mr. Marcos’s trip to Canada is a standalone event and is not paired with stops in other countries such as the United States.
Like Mr. Carney, the Philippines President has committed to diversifying his country’s trading relationships to insulate his country from shocks.
“We had old reliable traditional supply chains, but, suddenly overnight they became problematic,” Mr. Chan-Gonzaga said.
The Philippines fits well with the Canadian Prime Minister’s call for middle powers to forge their own partnerships and coalitions of interest, Ms. Nadjibulla said.
Both Canada and the Philippines “are vulnerable to external economic shocks, weaponized supply chains and growing pressure on national sovereignty, making them natural partners in the kind of practical, purpose-built coalitions that Mr. Carney’s middle-power diplomacy is intended to produce.”
Canada has the second largest Filipino diaspora population in the world, according to Mr. Chan-Gonzaga. Close to one million people in Canada claim Filipino ancestry.
He said he expects Mr. Marcos and Mr. Carney will talk about immigration. The Philippines is one of biggest sources of new permanent residents to Canada.
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Mr. Chan-Gonzaga said he anticipates the two leaders will talk about credentials recognition for Filipinos in Canada. He said it makes sense to advance this in professional sectors such as accountancy, architecture, engineering, as well the trades.
“I think there’s also conversation around uranium and a nuclear sector, because Philippines is interested in exploring that,” Ms. Nadjibulla said.
Canadian ministers and MPs expected to participate in the Philippines visit, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, include Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller, Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson as well as Women and Gender Equality Minister Rechie Valdez who also serves as Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism.
The Business Council of Canada and the Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industry are also expected to sign an MOU to deepen commercial ties during Mr. Marcos’ visit.