President Marcos has described the relationship between the Philippines and Canada as "stronger than ever" as he and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed both countries' cooperation in defense, trade, and other areas of bilateral cooperation.

Marcos said this during his bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Laos on Thursday, Oct. 10.

A statement from the office of Prime Minister Trudeau said President Marcos said the two leaders discussed progress in different areas of bilateral cooperation, including defense, development assistance, trade, agriculture and agri-food, education, and clean technologies.

"The leaders highlighted the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Philippines, rooted in deep people-to-people ties," it read.

"They welcomed the upcoming Team Canada Trade Mission to the Philippines, planned for December, as well as progress in negotiations toward a Canada-ASEAN free trade agreement," it added.

According to Malacañang, Marcos and Trudeau recognized their strong collaboration in economic growth and regional security and reaffirmed their commitment to further enhancing trade relations and cooperation across various sectors.

In his remarks during their meeting, President Marcos said the Philippines and Canada are now closer than ever.

"The relationship between Canada and the Philippines has not been closer in our entire history. It started with the people-to-people exchanges and has grown into much more than that," he said.

For his part, Trudeau reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to continue cooperating with the Philippines in all aspects.

"I can’t think of two countries with deeper people-to-people ties in a way we’ve been working together over the past years on bringing them together even more, on growing the economy and creating opportunities," he said.

"Lots to do. More trade conversations we’ve been having… Talking about Free Trade Agreements and other things that are going to bring us even closer together. And of course, I look forward to continuing to work with you in the coming years," he added.

The Philippines and Canada have elevated their bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Partnership.

South China Sea

President Marcos has expressed his government’s deep gratitude for Canada’s "steadfast support" for the Philippines, particularly in upholding the rule of law amid the ongoing tension in the South China Sea.

"Not only in terms of expressions of support but also in terms of actual capacity building and making Canada’s presence felt in the Indo-Pacific region, most specifically in [the] South China Sea," he said.

In a Facebook post, Marcos said he and Trudeau discussed upholding the rule of law and building a safer future for their people.

"We discussed our shared commitment to upholding the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific and explored how we can continue working together to build a safer and more prosperous future for our people," he wrote.

For his part, Prime Minister Trudeau said Canada has been working on regional security and safety as well, from fishing to military concerns.

"Kind of things stepping up. And we are happy to do it together in so many different ways,” he said.

According to the Canadian Prime Minister's office, Marcos and Trudeau expressed concern over increasing tensions in the South China Sea, noting their mutual commitment to regional security and international law.

"Each of them welcomed the strengthening of maritime cooperation through Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection Program," it said.

"Dark vessels" typically switch off location-transmitting devices, called the Automatic Identification System (AIS), to evade monitoring, control, and surveillance. The Dark Vessel Detection program uses satellite technology to locate and track these vessels from above.

Invitation

Meanwhile, according to the Canadian Prime Minister's office, the two leaders discussed "Russia’s unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine and its global impacts."

With this, Trudeau invited the Philippines to participate in the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimensions of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula, which Canada will co-host with Ukraine and Norway, in Canada, from Oct. 30 to 31.

The Conference will bring together Foreign Affairs ministers to advance the common vision articulated by the Joint Communiqué on a Peace Framework developed at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine at Bürgenstock, Switzerland, in June 2024.

During the conference, Ministers will exchange views to develop a concrete plan, guided by the principles of international human rights and humanitarian law, for the return of prisoners of war as well as deported civilians and children back to Ukraine.

The Conference participants will seek to strengthen the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, integrate the Women, Peace, and Security perspective into the 10-Point Peace Formula, and identify post-return rehabilitation and reintegration approaches for Ukrainian returnees.

G7 membership

On the other hand, President Marcos sought Prime Minister Trudeau's support and endorsement of the Philippines’ position in the Group of Seven (G7). Canada will host the next G7 Leaders' Summit in Alberta in 2025.

'We look forward to your continuing support and your endorsement of our position in the G7 when you take the chair of G7. So, we look forward to that," he said.

The G7 is an informal bloc of industrialized democracies—the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom (UK)—that meets annually to discuss issues such as global economic governance, international security, and artificial intelligence (AI).