By: Tony A. San Juan, OCT.
This year, 2024, will mark a significant milestone regarding the 75 years of diplomatic and friendly relations between the Philippines and Canada. As Filipino Canadians and productive participants of the Filipino diaspora, definitely, we are honored and proud to meaningfully commemorate this platinum historic event.
Filipinos, records reflect, have a more recent history of immigration to Canada compared to other racialized groups. In the 2021 Census, Statistics Canada on October 26, 2022, reported that 960,000 Filipinos represented 2.6% of Canada's 36,991,981 total population. Just over 7 in 10 Filipinos (72.6%) had immigrated to Canada in the previous 20 years. Nearly three-quarters of people in the Filipino group were born in the Philippines (73.9%), while most others were born in Canada (24.7%). The Filipino population has continued to grow by + 177,000 with each census. Thus, the Filipino population in Canada was estimated to about 1.14 million last year.
Canada and the Philippines certainly enjoy long-standing and positive bilateral relations based on "shared democratic values and mutual interests." The bilateral relations include, among other things, bilateral trade and commerce, partnership in international assistance cooperation, and development programs with focuses on: peace, security and inclusive governance; human dignity; environment and climate action.
Historically, the formal relations between the Philippines and Canada began on December 4, 1949 when the Philippines started a trade mission to the country. The Philippine president during the time was Elpidio Quirino and Louis St. Laurent was Canada's prime minister. Officially, the Philippines first established its diplomatic presence in Canada when it opened a Consulate in Vancouver, British Columbia in May, 1956 with the Consul, Gauttier F. Bisnar as Head of Post
Then In 1972, the mission was upgraded to a full embassy. The Philippines, presently, is represented in Canada by an embassy in Ottawa,Ontario and six consulates in Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary, Regina, and Halifax. Canada has two diplomatic representations in Manila, Philippines with an embassy in Makati City and a consulate in Cebu City, Cebu province.
During the 75 years of Philippines and Canada diplomatic relations, there have been many state and working visits made by the leaders of the 2 countries. A state visit, usually an indication of how well two countries get along, is a "formal visit by a head of state or government to a foreign country." Over the years, there were 4 Canadian Prime Ministers and 4 Philippine Presidents who have achieved them. Accordingly: 1) In 1983, Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos welcomed Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau during his state visit to the country. It's the first state visit of a Canadian Prime Minister. 2) Prime Minister Jean Chritien met with Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos during the APEC Summit in Manila on January 14-16 1997. 3) Philippine President Fidel Ramos had a working visit to Canada in 1997. 4) On January 29, 2001, President Gloria M. Arroyo met with Prime Minister Jean Chretien on a working visit. 5) Prime Minister Stephen Harper made an official visit to the Philippines on November 10-11, 2012, the first by a Canadian Prime Minister in 15 years. President B. Aquino and Prime Minister S.Harper met again on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Beijing in November 2014. 6) President Benigno Aquino III visited Canada on May 7, 2015. 7) In 2017, Justin Trudeau, the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada, was in the Philippines at the APEC summit in Manila.
During the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia in September 2023, Justin Trudeau extended an invitation for Marcos,Jr. to come to Canada for a state visit. Marcos, Jr. was reported to have formally accepted Trudeau's invitation to visit Canada in 2024. According to Canada's Ambassador to the Philippines, David Hartman, Marcos, Jr.'s trip is " likely to happen in the latter part of 2024." A final date is now being worked out by the 2 governments of Bongbong Marcos’s possible visit to Canada. If this happens, this year will mark the first state visit of a Philippine President to Canada since the last 3 visits of President Fidel V. Ramos in 1997, President Gloria M. Arroyo in 2001 and President Benigno C.Aquino III in 2015.
State visits observe official protocol, which has been established of welcoming foreign dignitaries. In this regard, it could be expected that President F. Marcos,Jr. would go to Parliament Hill in Ottawa and meet Prime Minister J.Trudeau. The 2 leaders would give their remarks to members of the Filipino Canadian community as well as the members of the Canadian media. Then Marcos, Jr. would be welcomed by the Members of Parliament at the House of Commons where he shall deliver an address. Also, he may be expected to spend visiting Canadian cities with the largest Filipino communities including Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Calgary.
The friendship between the 2 countries remains strong after 75 years of diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations. This historic development calls for a celebration and fittingly, a long-awaited state visit to Canada by a Philippine President will highlight this jubilee event. Moreover, the Filipino Canadian community, true and faithful to its well-recognized positive cultural tradition, should warmly welcome the Pang Labing Pito at kasalukuyang Pangulo ng Republika ng Filipinas( 17th and current President of the Republic of the Philippines) and in cooperation with the people of Canada, should rightfully celebrate this established friendship.