January 1, 2024 — The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver starts its year-long celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Phil-Canada relation with a Thanksgiving Mass at 5:00 PM on Saturday, January 16, at the Holy Rosary Cathedral (646 Richards St., Vancouver BC) followed by a reception.
Consul General Arlene T. Magno considers the 75 years of Philippine Canada diplomatic relations as something the million Filipinos in Canada should be thankful for because it is through these strong ties between the Philippines and Canada that they are able to come and find a brighter future for their children and a better life for most of them in Canada.
Arlene Magno serves as Consul General of the Philippines in Vancouver.
The PCG will observe this 75th anniversary with special events throughout 2024. The CFNet will publish a series of articles covering these events.
This strong and friendly bilateral relations started on December 4, 1949 and had “blossomed so beautifully” that Canadian ambassador to the Philippines Peter MacArthur suggested in 2020 that December 1 be considered as “Philippines-Canada Partnership Day.”
In 1949 when Phil-Canada relations began, Louis St. Lawrence was prime minister of Canada and Elpidio Quirino was president of the Philippines. Over the years, Canada and the Philippines have partnered to promote their common values and priorities – from advancing peace and security and standing up for human rights and the rule of law, to growing their economies to benefit people in Canada and the Philippines alike.
Today Canada has an embassy in the Philippines located in Makati and maintains a consulate in Cebu city. The Philippines is represented in Canada by an embassy in Ottawa and also maintains three consulates-general in Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. It has honorary consular offices in Winnipeg, St. John's, Charlottetown and Halifax.
Editor of Canadian Filipino Net
Eleanor R. Laquian has written four best-selling books, and co-authored four others with husband Prod Laquian. She has served in various capacities at the University of British Columbia’s Institute of Asian Research as manager of administration and programs; editor and chair, publications committee; and primary researcher of the Asian Immigration to Canada project. She has a degree in journalism from Maryknoll College in the Philippines, and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of the Philippines. She did postgraduate studies at the School of Public Communications, Boston University in the U.S.
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